2 people, 14 dogs killed in crash
Two people and more than a dozen dogs en route to Calgary are dead following a single-vehicle crash in eastern Idaho early Friday morning, Idaho State Police say.
Police say a rented box truck left the interstate west of Shelley, Idaho, drove into a median and struck an embankment around 6 a.m. The driver and the passenger both died of their injuries, along with 14 dogs.
The vehicle was part of a non-profit animal rescue network that was transporting 48 dogs of mixed breeds and sizes to Calgary for adoptions. Police say all the dogs were in kennels.
Animal shelter agencies and veterinaries in east Idaho are assisting with the care of 18 dogs retrieved from the wreck. Sixteen animals are still unaccounted for, police say.
“Despite searching the interstate area, troopers have been unable to locate any more of the missing dogs,” read the police news release.
“(Representatives from the animal rescue network) plan to pick up the remaining dogs and safely continue onto Canada where shelters are waiting to place the dogs in adopted homes.”
Police identified the driver of the truck as Christopher Kracht, 40, of Phoenix, Ariz., who died in hospital following the crash. His passenger, Ann Watson, 38, also of Phoenix, was pronounced dead on scene.
According to police, Kracht was wearing a seatbelt, but Watson was not.
No other vehicles were involved with the crash and investigators have not determined a cause.