Zachary Vermuelen, Andrew Smith Death – Last night, a tragic accident occurred in western KELOLAND, where an SUV collided with an apartment building. The Rapid City Police have now released the names of the two individuals who lost their lives in the vehicle. They have been identified as Zachary Vermuelen, 28 years old, and Andrew Smith, 24 years old, both from Rapid City.
The aftermath of the incident shows significant damage to the apartment building caused by the speeding SUV. Authorities received the distress call shortly after 10:30 PM last night. According to RCPD Community Relations Specialist Brendyn Medina, initial investigations indicate that the vehicle was traveling southbound on Haines at an extremely high speed. It veered off the East side of the road and crashed into the apartment complex.
Upon arrival, emergency crews discovered that two individuals in the SUV had tragically lost their lives, while another person sustained serious injuries. However, the situation was even more complex than initially anticipated. The vehicle had severed a gas line, raising concerns about potential explosive levels. As a result, it was necessary to evacuate all residents from the building and relocate them to a safer location. The Holiday Inn across the street generously provided accommodations for all 61 residents while the gas leak was addressed and the car was removed from the building.
Calvie Ellis, a resident of the apartment complex, recounted hearing the impact of the crash. The building shook, followed by a loud boom. Shortly after, the fire alarm went off, prompting Ellis to wake up and respond to the situation.
The investigation into the incident involves multiple agencies, including the Rapid City Police, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. While witnesses claim that the SUV was speeding prior to the crash, the police want to clarify that it was not involved in a chase.