Highway Patrol: Charges pending in crash near Ethan

By Erik Kaufman

October 07, 2020 at 1:34 PM

ETHAN — Charges are pending in a one-vehicle crash that occurred Wednesday near Ethan.

According to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, a 2009 Honda Civic was southbound on South Dakota Highway 37 near mile marker 64, about two miles northwest of Ethan, when the vehicle went into the west ditch and eventually hit a power pole. The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle.

The crash occurred at approximately 7:11 a.m.

The driver, Matthew Hopkins, 36, of Mitchell, sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell before being flown to Sioux Falls.

Charges are pending against Hopkins.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

By Erik Kaufman

Erik Kaufman joined the Mitchell Republic in July of 2019 as an education and features reporter. He grew up in Freeman, S.D., graduating from Freeman High School. He graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1999 with a major in English and a minor in computer science. He can be reached at ekaufman@mitchellrepublic.com.