26-Year-Old Jamestown Woman Dies After Wrong-Way Crash on I-94

A 26-year-old woman from Jamestown was killed when her 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee traveled the wrong way on Interstate 94 and struck a bridge support near mile marker 298 in Barnes County, the North Dakota Highway Patrol said. The crash was reported at 4:09 a.m., and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Troopers said the SUV was traveling eastbound in the interstate’s westbound lanes when it departed the roadway and struck a bridge support on the north side of the road. Investigators and emergency responders found the driver was not wearing a seat belt and died of injuries sustained in the collision.

The Highway Patrol release, summarized in local coverage, noted road conditions were good and the weather was clear at the time of the crash. Valley City police officers, Barnes County Sheriff’s deputies, Barnes County Ambulance crews and Barnes County Fire Department personnel all responded alongside state troopers to the scene near Valley City.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol is continuing its investigation into the single-vehicle crash. Officials have not released the driver’s name, and the patrol’s initial information did not specify any suspected impairment, mechanical failure, speed, or other contributing factors. The agency has not announced whether toxicology testing or further forensic work has been completed.

This single-vehicle wrong-way collision is separate from an earlier I-94 crash involving Jamestown-area drivers in January. That Jan. 26 crash near mile marker 257, east of Jamestown, involved a truck and a van and resulted in multiple injuries and the later death of an 80-year-old passenger on Jan. 31. Local emergency responders said at the time that airbags had deployed and that several occupants were transported to Jamestown Regional Medical Center.

For the March 8 crash, the North Dakota Highway Patrol is the lead investigative agency. Valley City police, Barnes County Sheriff’s Department, Barnes County Ambulance and Barnes County Fire Department assisted at the scene. As the patrol continues its review, authorities have not indicated whether charges will be filed or when additional details, including the victim’s identity, will be released.