Two females identified as those killed in vehicle-train accident south of Harrisburg

Two females from Harrisburg, S.D., have been identified as those who died Wednesday when a pickup collided with a train near Harrisburg.

Preliminary crash information indicates that a 2018 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup was westbound on 274^th Street, west of the intersection with 476^th Avenue, when the driver did not yield at a railroad crossing. The pickup collided with a southbound BNSF train.

Two female passengers in the pickup, Jennifer Torgerson, 45, and Kaylee Torgerson, 12, were pronounced dead at the scene. Philip Torgerson of Harrisburg, S.D., the 44-year-old driver, sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to a Sioux Falls hospital.

Jason Husted, 43, of Sioux City, Iowa, was the operator of the train. He was not injured.

Seatbelt use of those involved is under investigation. Charges are pending against the pickup driver.

South Dakota’s Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. All information released so far is only preliminary.

The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.