Bizarre crash reported in east Idaho — Stolen truck impaled by guard rail

ABERDEEN — A stolen pickup truck was found impaled by a bridge guard rail near Aberdeen on Sunday morning.

According to the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, a white 1999 GMC Sierra was reported stolen from a residence in the Aberdeen area at approximately 2:46 a.m. Sunday.

Four hours later, the pickup truck was found crashed off the side of a canal bridge near 2650 West and 1800 South, which is located south of Aberdeen. The crash site was located approximately 3 miles from where the truck was stolen.

The driver apparently struck the bridge’s guard rail with such force that the metal structure penetrated the front of the vehicle, continuing into the passenger side of the cab before exiting out the back window.

Blake Healy, a ditch rider for the Aberdeen Springfield Canal Company, runs the canal system that is located in the area of the car crash. He often checks the system with his 7-year-old daughter, who was with him when he discovered the wrecked pickup.

Healy lives about 200 yards from the crash site and said he was lucky the stolen truck didn’t smash into his home.

“If the truck would have bounced off the guard rail it might have ended up in my living room,” he said in a written statement, also noting that there were no skid marks on the road.

The truck thief was not at the crash site when authorities arrived. The driver’s side door was found open, and police believe the driver left the scene after the crash occurred.

No injuries were reported and no other vehicles were involved in the wreck. There have been no arrests in the case.

Since he first reported the crash to police early Sunday morning, Healy said he has checked the nearby canal multiple times to see if the driver may have fallen into the water and drowned. However, he has not located any drowning victims.

The incident remains under investigation.

This story originally appeared in the Idaho State Journal. It is posted here with permission.