On Saturday, December 16, 2023, a car accident in Billings, Montana, resulted in the deaths of four teenagers.
The incident occurred in an industrial area just before 2 a.m., involving a single vehicle that crashed into a large metal pole.
Four occupants of the vehicle, 14-year-old Mikaylee Reiter, 14-year-old Zoey Harr, 17-year-old Weston Lyon, and 18-year-old Storm Skaggs, were killed in the crash.
According to the Billings Police Department, two of the teenagers died at the scene, while the other two were transported to a hospital with critical injuries and later pronounced dead.
Initial investigations by law enforcement suggest that high speed, the non-use of seatbelts, and possibly alcohol were contributing factors to the accident. The vehicle reportedly veered off the roadway, leading the driver to lose control and collide with the pole, which supported a sign for a stockyard.
On Sunday, members of the community gathered, leaving flowers and notes on a poster board attached to the pole struck by the vehicle.
Ryan Pitman, a friend of the victims, mentioned that having dropped off the two girls at the 18-year-old victim’s house earlier in the evening, he was involved in a separate vehicle crash later that night and was receiving treatment at the hospital at the time of the fatal accident.
He disclosed that the 17-year-old victim was driving the two girls, along with the fourth victim, at the time of their fatal crash. Pitman, whose father is a former Yellowstone County commissioner, expressed his grief over the loss of his friends and praised them.
The Billings Police Department continues to investigate the incident, seeking to understand the precise circumstances that led to this tragic event.