Mitchell teen, Mount Vernon man identified as victims of fatal crash on I-90

By Mitchell Republic

May 18, 2023 at 10:26 AM

PLANKINTON — Authorities have identified the victims of a fatal crash on Saturday night as a Mitchell teenager and a Mount Vernon man.

Owen Robert Gjerdahl , 17, and Jeffrey Duane McGhee Jr. , 29, died at the scene when the vehicle they were in was traveling the wrong way on Interstate 90, three miles east of Plankinton, law enforcement officials say. A crash report says neither person was wearing a seat belt.

Gjerdahl was driving the 1999 Ford Crown Victoria eastbound in the westbound lanes when it collided with a 2024 Kenworth semi-truck and trailer. The crash occurred at 9:46 p.m. May 13.

Francisco Parra-Navarro, 63, of Sioux Falls, was driving the semi and was uninjured.

South Dakota’s Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Bittner Funeral Chapel in Mitchell is handling both services.

By Mitchell Republic

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of "Mitchell Republic." Often, the "Mitchell Republic" byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.