NEWS RELEASE | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | September 28, 2026
WARD COUNTY FATAL CRASH
What: Fatal crash
Where: Highway 28, mile marker 12.5; approximately ½ mile north of Ryder
When: Sunday, September 27, 8:38 p.m. Central Time
Road Conditions: Dry
Weather Conditions: Dry
Crash Involvement: Single vehicle
Type of Crash: Rollover
Agencies Involved: North Dakota State Patrol, Ward County Sheriff’s Office, Max Ambulance, Ryder/Makoti Fire and Ryder/Makoti Ambulance
Vehicle No. 1: 2001 Ford F-150
Driver No. 1: Male, 47, Belfield; serious, life-threatening injuries
Restraints: Seatbelt not in use
Charges: DUI, Criminal vehicular homicide
Passenger No. 1: Male, 50, Los Banos, CA, fatal injuries
Restraints: Seatbelt not in use
NARRATIVE: On Sunday, September 27, 2026, at approximately 8:38 p.m., a Ford F-150 was traveling north on Highway 28 near mile post 12.5 when it entered the west ditch, vaulted and rolled. The passenger was not wearing a seat belt and died at the scene. The driver was not wearing a seat belt, suffered serious, life-threatening injuries, and was transported to Trinity Hospital in Minot. The driver was charged with DUI and criminal vehicular homicide.
The crash remains under investigation by the North Dakota State Patrol.
There is little hope that all of these posts by NDHP are going to change. You can’t change human behavior and it’s clear that people don’t learn from other’s negative outcomes. Speeding, T-bones, distracted driving, aggressive driving, drug and alcohol use, much higher truck traffic, no seat belt use and higher speed limits, all make our roads more dangerous than they were even 20 years ago.
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Need seat belt in a car Why not in a school bus and motorcycle ?
People want to cry about the lack of seatbelt use but it’s ok to be on a motorcycle in the wide open without a helmet splitting lanes? Think about it.
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Prayers to the families.
Seat belts not I use…. Possibly could’ve been prevented
Let’s not state the obvious and offer condolences. I’m sorry to the family that suffered a loss here in North Dakota, prayers to you ❤️
prayers but so avoidable, after working in DUI probation for 7 years..I always say call me from the bar for a ride ANYTIME but don’t call me from jail. Praying for all.
Still unfathomable to me how people choose not to wear seatbelts and helmets when riding, let alone driving drunk