BIG SKY — UPDATE: August 28, 2026, 4:50 p.m. — Authorities confirmed that 23-year-old Samuel Hale of Bozeman was the driver killed in an early morning crash.
The incident occurred on US Highway 191 near mile marker 54 at 2:01 a.m. on August 28. According to the Montana Highway Patrol (MHP), Hale was traveling northbound when he veered off the roadway and struck a tree.
Hale was the only occupant in the vehicle and was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. MHP stated that speed is believed to be a contributing factor in the crash.
Hale was transported to Bozeman Health Big Sky Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities ruled his death as accidental.
As of August 19, 2026, the MHP reported a total of 110 fatalities this year, down from 127 at the same time last year.