4 killed, 1 hurt in South Dakota highway crash

WAGNER, S.D. – Four people were killed and a fifth was seriously injured in a crash in southern South Dakota, the state Highway Patrol said.

A Jeep Grand Cherokee collided with a Chrysler Sebring at the intersection of Highways 46 and 50 west of Wagner at around 6 p.m. Tuesday, the patrol said. The car subsequently plunged into a ditch where it caught fire, authorities said.

The 64-year-old woman driving the SUV was pronounced dead at the scene. A 31-year-old woman driving the other vehicle plus two of her passengers — a 28-year-old woman and 33-year-old man — were taken to a hospital in Wagner where they were pronounced dead.

A 27-year-old man in the Sebring suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries and was flown to a hospital in Sioux Falls.

Authorities have not released the names of those involved in the crash. The patrol said none of them appeared to have been wearing seat belts.

State Department of Public Safety spokesman Tony Mangan said Wednesday that there was nothing in the crash report to indicate weather was a factor in the collision.