Two Pedestrians Killed in Wednesday Night Crash Near Flandreau

Northeast Radio SD News - Flandreau, SD - Two pedestrians died Wednesday night after being struck by a vehicle one mile south of Flandreau.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:05 p.m. at the intersection of 480th Avenue and 232nd Street. According to preliminary reports from the South Dakota Highway Patrol, a 55-year-old woman from Ruthton, Minnesota, was driving a 2012 Ford Escape southbound on 480th Avenue.

As the vehicle approached the intersection, it encountered two pedestrians walking in the southbound lane. The vehicle collided with both individuals.

Both pedestrians—a 25-year-old woman from Wentworth and a 34-year-old man from Springfield—were pronounced deceased at the scene. Hoyer, the driver of the Ford Escape, was wearing a seat belt and reported no injuries.

Local authorities noted that the area has no street lighting. Combined with an overcast sky, visibility was significantly limited at the time of the crash. Reports from the Moody County Sheriff’s Office indicated that the driver may have been momentarily blinded by the headlights of an oncoming northbound vehicle, making it difficult to see the pedestrians until the moment of impact.

The names of the deceased are being withheld pending the notification of family members.

Several agencies assisted at the scene, including the Flandreau Fire Department, the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal Police Department, and Moody County Ambulance. The South Dakota Highway Patrol, an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, is leading the ongoing investigation.