A Gann Valley, S.D. female has been identified as the person who died Sunday night in a two-vehicle crash that occurred northeast of Fort Thompson.

Preliminary crash information indicates that a 2009 Chevrolet Equinox was northbound on 349th Avenue and a 2018 Dodge Ram Pickup was southbound on 349th Avenue. The two vehicles collided on top of a hill crest.

Randa Haak, the driver of the Chevrolet, was transferred by ambulance to the Chamberlain hospital where she was pronounced dead. She was wearing a seat belt.

All three male occupants of the pickup also were injured. Jerome Konechne of Kimball, S.D., the 78-year-old driver, suffered serious non-life threatening injuries, and Darrell Sauder, the 77-year-old passenger from Rapid City, S.D., sustained minor injuries. Both were wearing seat belts and both were transferred to the Chamberlain hospital.

Daniel Knippling, 68, of Kimball, was the third pickup occupant and received life-threatening injuries. He was first taken to the Wessington Springs hospital and then transferred to a Sioux Falls hospital. He was not wearing a seat belt.
A 62-year-old Onaka, S.D. man has been identified as the person who died Sunday morning in a two-vehicle crash that occurred east of Hoven.

Preliminary crash information indicates that both vehicles were eastbound on South Dakota Highway 20. A 2020 Ford Explorer struck the rear of a 2017 Honda Pioneer ATV. The ATV went into the south ditch and rolled over.

Gary Rausch, who was driving the ATV, was thrown from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. Jimmi Lawrence of Eagle, Butte, S.D., the 26-year-old female driver of the Ford, was wearing a seat belt and was not injured.

South Dakota’s Highway Patrol is investigating the crashes. All information released so far is only preliminary.