Ken Iwen, owner of a Montana City auto repair shop, ran smack into the wind storm’s brutal power while driving his wife to a Butte doctor’s appointment last Wednesday morning.
On Interstate 15 just south of Bernice, a steady rain suddenly turned into something more fierce.
“We got into Elk Park and it got windier and windier,” Iwen said. “Then the storm hit, sleeting snow plus a headwind: everything coming right at us, kind of like a Star Wars effect.”
He slowed his Dodge pick-up to just over 50 miles per hour and they rode on, braving the slippery road, driving sleet, and 60-70 mph gale, along with the rest of rush-hour traffic.
“The wind was tossing us around a bit and that’s when I saw the cable,” said Iwen, spying a thick cable swinging down from the power line toward his truck. “I saw it a split-second before I hit it, didn’t have time to brake. It pushed the hood into the windshield and totally blocked my view.”
He quickly pulled over and the couple caught their breath before assessing the damage. With both headlights broken, the hood ripped off, a dent to the top of the cab, plus damage to the windshield, grill bumper and driver’s-side door, Iwen put the cost of repair at $10,000.
Thankfully, his insurance will cover the lion’s share, and driver and passenger are both fine.
“Nobody was hurt,” said Iwen. “But it got the adrenaline going, that’s for sure.”
