A 19-year-old driver from Viola, Idaho, sparked a three-vehicle crash on US Highway 95 in Latah County on Friday afternoon, leaving two people hospitalized and shutting down both lanes of traffic for nearly two hours.
The collision took place around 5:00 p.m. on August 15, 2026, near milepost 353. According to authorities, the young man was driving a red 1999 Dodge Dakota southbound when he crossed the double yellow center line into oncoming traffic.
What Happened at Milepost 353
The Dakota first struck a blue 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 that was pulling a utility trailer, driven by a 25-year-old woman from Garfield, Washington. The initial sideswipe did not stop the southbound truck, which then collided head-on with a white 2024 Toyota RAV4 driven by a 73-year-old woman from Potlatch, Idaho.
Emergency responders transported the 19-year-old driver by ambulance to Gritman Medical Center in Moscow, where he was listed in serious condition. The 73-year-old RAV4 driver was also taken to Gritman, but with minor injuries. The 25-year-old Ram driver escaped the crash without injury.
Investigators noted that all three drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash — a factor that likely contributed to limiting the severity of injuries, particularly for the occupants of the vehicles struck by the oncoming Dakota.
Traffic Disruption Along Highway 95 Corridor
Both northbound and southbound lanes of US 95 were blocked during the emergency response and initial investigation. All lanes were cleared and reopened by 6:44 p.m., meaning the closure lasted roughly an hour and forty-five minutes during a Friday evening commute period.
US 95 is one of the primary north-south arteries through Latah County, connecting Moscow and the surrounding communities to destinations throughout north-central Idaho. Traffic incidents along this corridor can affect commuters, agricultural haulers, and travelers moving between the Palouse region and points south.
The cause of the lane departure — why the 19-year-old driver crossed into oncoming traffic — had not been publicly released as of this report. No information on citations or charges was immediately available.
What Comes Next
The Idaho State Police or Latah County authorities are expected to release further details on the investigation, including any charges or traffic citations stemming from the crash. Gritman Medical Center has not publicly commented on the condition of the two patients transported from the scene.
Motorists traveling US 95 through Latah County are reminded to maintain lane discipline, particularly on rural stretches of the highway where emergency response times can be longer and head-on collisions carry an elevated risk of serious injury or death.
Public safety incidents across Moscow and Latah County have kept first responders busy in recent weeks. For additional context on local law enforcement activity, see recent coverage of Moscow Police responding to a gunshot report and welfare check and a series of hit-and-run, theft, and traffic incidents handled by Moscow Police in mid-July.