June 9, 2025:
The funeral service for a 16 year old boy from Pierre killed last week (June 4, 2025, at 9:54am) in a three-vehicle crash one mile south of Agar will be held Wednesday afternoon (June 11, 2025).
The service for Aiden Van Balen will be held at 1pm CT at the Hollister Football Field in Pierre. The family asks that those attending the funeral wear the Pierre Governors green and white colors. People are encouraged to wear jeans or shorts and a hoodie, if they have them. Burial will follow at Scotty Philip Cemetery.
Preliminary crash information from the South Dakota Highway Patrol indicates Van Balen was driving a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 northbound on US Highway 83 and crossed over into the southbound lanes. An approaching Peterbilt semi in the southbound lane driven by 37 year old Philip M. Rush of Gettysburg, pulled off the roadway onto the shoulder but was struck by the Dodge on the rear trailer tires, causing the Dodge to spin in the southbound lane. A second semi, driven by 50 year old Jason Neely from Luck, WI, also in the southbound lanes, turned into the west ditch but also collided with the Dodge, which came to rest in the middle of the roadway.
Van Balen was pronounced deceased at the scene. The drivers of the semis were not injured.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.
June 4, 2025:
Pierre teen killed in Wednesday morning three vehicle accident just south of Agar
A 16 year old boy from Pierre died Wednesday morning (June 4, 2025, at 9:54am) in a three-vehicle crash on US Highway 83, one mile south of Agar, SD.
The names of the persons involved have not yet been released.
Preliminary crash information indicates the 16 year old male driver of a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 was traveling northbound on US Highway 83 and crossed over into the southbound lanes. An approaching Peterbilt semi in the southbound lane, driven by a 37 year old man from Gettysburg, pulled off the roadway onto the shoulder and was struck by the Dodge on the rear trailer tires, causing the Dodge to spin in the southbound lane. A second semi, a 2017 Volvo tractor and trailer driven by a 50 year old man from Wisconsin, also in the southbound lanes, turned into the west ditch and collided with the Dodge, which came to rest in the middle of the roadway.
The driver of the Dodge was pronounced deceased at the scene. The drivers of the Peterbilt and Volvo semis were not injured.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.
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