Woman killed in car accident had ties to Bonners Ferry

CAREYWOOD - A former Bonners Ferry woman was killed in a five-vehicle crash Tuesday near Careywood in Bonner County.

Joni C. Zantow, 34, of Sandpoint is believed to have lost control of her compact car on the ice at 6 a.m. on Highway 95.

Zantow's 1994 Mercury Tracer was sideswiped by a sport utility vehicle, according to ISP. Her car then slid into the northbound lane, where it was struck on the driver's side by another sport utility vehicle and in the rear by a compact car. Another compact car then collided with the sport utility vehicle.

Zantow is the daughter of Bill Baker of Bonners Ferry and Sue Baker of Sandpoint. She is the second of the Bakers' three children to die. Another daughter, Kari Baker, died of cancer a few years ago. There other daughter is Mindy Baker.

Other relatives in Bonners Ferry are grandmother Gertrude Baker, aunt and uncle Aggie and Allen Moran, aunt Linda Baker and cousin Donny Baker.

All drivers were wearing seat belts, state police said.

Drivers not hurt included Kelly M. Hutchinson, 45, of Athol; Robert R. Waterman, 63, of Careywood; John D. Carter, 38, of Coeur d'Alene; and Danny W. Alderman, 44, of Rathdrum. A passenger in Alderman's car, Brandon B. Nordlander, 29, was not hurt

The news release makes no mention of ice or speed, but ISP Cpl. Charles Greear told a Spokane television station both were factors in the pileup. Greear estimated a safe speed on the ice-slicked highway would have been about 35 mph. The crash was among a cluster of dawn crashes elsewhere on 95 and on Interstate 90, said Greear.

“In about a 10- or 15- minute period of time, we had at least 10 vehicles crash,” Greear told KXLY News.