BY JOURNAL STAFF Idaho State Journal articleTwo people were transported to the Portneuf Medical Center following a head-on collision on Interstate 15 near the Virginia exit, south of Arimo on Tuesday. Idaho State police said Arimo resident Calvin Monson, 84, was driving a 2003 Chevrolet Impala in the wrong direction in the northbound lanes of I-15 around noon. His vehicle struck a 2013 Chevrolet Volt, driven by Owen Larsen, 56, of Kaysville, Utah.
Monson was transported by air ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello following the crash, but hospital officials said he was treated and released. Larsen was also transported to the hospital by ground ambulance. He was still at PMC on Tuesday night, but hospital officials said he was listed in good condition. A dog was also riding in Monson’s vehicle, but the animal did not appear to have been injured in the incident. Both Monson and Larsen were wearing their seat belts when the crash occurred, police said. Following the collision, the vehicles both landed in the median, roughly 150 yards apart. Airbags were deployed and emergency responders had to remove the driver’s side doors on both vehicles. Police are still investigating the incident. The crash shut down the left side of the northbound lanes of travel for about three hours on Tuesday, while the air ambulance landed and crews worked to clear the scene, police said. At one point, traffic was backed up for roughly a couple of miles. Multiple ground ambulances responded to the scene, as did Bannock County Search and Rescue.