Major Tom Iverson, Chief of Operations | North Dakota Highway Patrol
Major Tom Iverson, Chief of Operations | North Dakota Highway Patrol
A fatal crash occurred on May 5, 2025, on northbound I-29, approximately 2.5 miles north of Thompson. The incident involved a head-on collision between two vehicles. The road conditions were reported as good, and the weather was sunny at the time of the crash.
The first vehicle, a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse, was driven by Judy Rusten, 83, from Aneta, ND. According to reports, Rusten was not wearing a seatbelt and was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of I-29 when the collision occurred. She died at the scene.
The second vehicle involved was a 2018 GMC Sierra driven by Joshua Bedard, 42, from Grand Forks. Bedard sustained serious injuries in the crash despite using his seatbelt and having airbags deployed. He was transported to Altru Hospital in Grand Forks for treatment.
The crash led to the closure of the northbound lanes of I-29 for about two hours while authorities investigated and cleared the scene. Agencies involved in responding to the incident included the North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP), Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office, Thompson Fire & Rescue, and Altru Ambulance.
Lieutenant Ryan Panasuk from NDHP said that "the crash remains under investigation by the ND Highway Patrol."
For further information regarding this incident, Lieutenant Ryan Panasuk can be contacted at 701-328-2447 or via email at rpanasuk@nd.gov.
Information from this article can be found here.
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