ISP releases names of 2 critically injured when trailer detaches from semitruck on U.S. 95

A semitruck trailer came unhitched, drifted into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on into a car on U.S. Highway 95 south of Coeur d’Alene on Wednesday morning.

Two men in the car were taken Kootenai Health in critical condition, said Chris Schenck, Idaho State Police spokesman.

They remained in critical condition Thursday morning, the hospital reported.

The truck, owned by Montana company Mergenthaler Transfer & Storage, was traveling south on the highway about 3 miles south of Coeur d’Alene at about 8:15 a.m. The trailer drifted into the northbound lane, striking a gray Nissan sedan, Schenck said.

The Nissan wedged under the semitruck trailer, and rescue crews had to hoist the end of the trailer to free the victims.

The driver of the Nissan, Nicholas S. Spooner, 25, and the passenger, Timothy P. Spooner, 59, were both wearing seat belts, according to a news release from Idaho State Police.

Schenck said in his 29 years of working he can’t recall hearing about a trailer becoming unhitched from a semi. However, accidents like the one Wednesday have caused fatalities in the U.S. Last year, a man in Oklahoma died from a similar crash.

No citation has been issued and that detectives are investigating the cause of the crash, Schenck said.

Mergenthaler Transfer & Storage spokesman Art Villa said Wednesday the company was still gathering information and had no further comment.

The road reopened at about 12:30 p.m., according to the news release.

The Spooners were listed in critical condition Thursday morning at Kootenai Health.