Man remains in a coma after accident

A Moyie Springs man remained in a coma Wednesday from injuries he suffered when the vehicle he was riding in collided with a tractor-trailer and rolled, said Idaho State Police.

James G. Bennett, 21, was taken to Bonner General Hospital in Sandpoint and flown to Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d'Alene, where he was in the intensive care unit in critical condition.

Bennett was a passenger in a sport utility vehicle driven by Christopher J. Bustillos, 19, of Bonners Ferry, at 6:45 p.m. Sept. 3 on Highway 95 between Naples and McArthur Lake, police said.

Bustillos was northbound near milepost 494 and attempted to pass the semi-truck driven by Rodney P. Loewen, 45, of Listen, British Columbia, Canada, police said.

There was insufficient clearance, forcing northbound and southbound traffic off the roadway, police said.

Bustillos cut in front of Loewen, striking the front of the semi and losing control of his 1994 Toyota 4-Runner. Bustillos drove off the road and overturned.

Loewen, who was returning from hauling wood chips to Lewiston, told The Herald he attempted to get onto the berm to allow Bustillos to pass him. When he attempted to return to the northbound lane, Bustillos hit the front of the semi and Bustillo's rig rolled several times.

Police indicated Bustillos and Loewen were wearing seat belts. The news release did not indicate whether or not Bennett was wearing a seat belt, but a friend of the family, Sam Wells, confirmed that he was.

Wells, whose daughter, Kourtney Wells, is Bennett's girlfriend, understands Bennett has right-side brain damage. Bennett had no broken bones, but has a partially collapsed lung.