Man Killed In Buffalo County Crash Identified By Highway Patrol

FORT THOMPSON, (KCCR) — The names of the men involved in a single vehicle fatal crash in Buffalo County September 1st have been released by the South Dakota Highway Patrol The crash happened Sunday around three-a-m, three miles east of Fort Thompson on South Dakota Highway 34. The preliminary crash investigation indicates 38 year-old Michael Washechek from Harrold was driving a 2008 Mercury Mariner west on Highway 34 when the S-U-V left the highway, vaulted over a driveway approach and crashed in the highway’s south ditch. A passenger in the Mercury, 23 year-old Aaron Berkebile of Pierre suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash. Washechek was pronounced dead at the scene. Neither men were using seat belts at the time of the crash.