Montpelier man critical after crash

A Montpelier man was in critical condition Friday after an accident on I-84 late Thursday evening.

Bryan Frank Hartley, 37, was traveling eastbound at about 7:50 p.m. on the interstate in a 2004 Jeep Cherokee when his vehicle drifted off the right shoulder of the road at milepose 98.6 for unknown reasons, according to Elmore County deputies who responded to the scene.

Harley overcorrected the steering to the left and lost control of the Jeep. The Jeep then slid across both eastbound travel lanes, striking a 2009 Nissan Sentra, driven by a couple from Spokane, Wash., who were not identified by authorities.

Both the Nissan and the Jeep entered the median. The driver of the Nissan was able to maintain control of the car and it came to a stop in the median.

The Jeep, however, rolled as it completely crossed the median and entered the westbound travel lanes, crossing both of them and then rolling off the north side of the interstate where it came to rest on its right side.

Hartley, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle. He sustained "serious, life-threatening injuries during the crash," authorities said.

He was flown by air ambulance to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise for treatment.

The occupants of the Nissan were wearing their seatbelts. They were not injured and did not require treatment.

Alcohol was believed to be a contributing factor in the crash. Test results are pending.

Units of the Elmore Ambulance Service, Elmore County Extrication and Mountain Home Rural Fire Department also responded to the scene.