A 51-year-old Spirit Lake man died Friday morning after his work truck left the roadway and caught fire on Highway 53 near Rathdrum, Idaho, according to the Idaho State Police.
The crash happened at approximately 5:30 a.m. near milepost 7. The man was driving a 2002 Peterbilt work truck westbound when the vehicle crossed into the eastbound lane, ran off the road, and struck a tree. The truck overturned and caught fire. The driver, the sole occupant, died at the scene. He appeared to be wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Next of kin have been notified. Idaho State Police are investigating the cause of the crash.
Highway Blocked During Emergency Response
Highway 53 was completely closed during the initial emergency response. The westbound lane reopened roughly two hours and 40 minutes after the crash, while alternating one-way traffic was permitted during the recovery of the vehicle.
The cause of the lane departure has not been publicly disclosed. No other vehicles were involved.
North Idaho has seen a number of serious roadway incidents in recent weeks. Residents with questions about ongoing public safety investigations in the region can find additional coverage at Bonner County News.