Apartments Demolished; Two Dead

(RAPID CITY, SD) — Scanner traffic and local residents are attesting to the fact that there is a rise in high speed accidents in Rapid City. Tuesday around midnight proved to be no exception.

From Rapid City Police Department

AVOID THE AREA: Law enforcement and fire/medical resources are currently on scene of a serious crash involving a vehicle that struck an apartment building in the 400 block of Philadelphia Street. Multiple surrounding residences are in the process of being evacuated as a result of a gas leak caused by the crash.

At this time, Haines Avenue is closed from New York Street to North Street. The public is asked to avoid the area as first responders work with local utility companies to restore safety in the affected location.

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Scanner traffic and comments from area residents, plus a reply from the police department.

Crash on 5th Street across from the Civic Center. Vehicle crashed into apartments, 5th street closed, evacuating building.

Possible DOA and unknown injuries.

I believe this started as a police chase.

11:18pm Scanner says 1st and 2nd floor structural damage.

11:28pm They are moving emergency vehicles and Resorces away from the building. (Possible Danger)

12:30am Residents will not be allowed back in the apartments tonight.

Sounds similar to the situation in Scotts Bluff County. With encrypted channels already functional and in place, there was no legitimate reason to go fully encrypted on the public channels.

FATAL CRASH INVESTIGATION UPDATE: On April 9th, 2024, at around 10:41 p.m., the Rapid City Police and Fire Departments were dispatched to a fatal crash in the 400 block of Philadelphia St. The initial investigation shows a vehicle was traveling southbound on Haines Avenue at a high rate of speed. The SUV lost control, crossed into the northbound lanes, exited the roadway, and struck an apartment building at 420 Philadelphia St.

Multiple agencies responded, including the Rapid City Police Department, Rapid City Fire Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

Upon arrival, first responders located two individuals deceased inside the vehicle. An additional occupant was also located inside the car and transported to Monument Health for the treatment of life-threatening injuries. When the vehicle struck the building, it severed a gas line, causing an extensive gas leak that reached dangerous and explosive levels.

First responders quickly worked to evacuate all residents of the apartment building. Pennington County Emergency Management worked with the Holiday Inn to provide shelter to 50 apartment building residents.

The names of the deceased are being withheld until next of kin notification can be made. The investigation into the circumstances leading up to the crash is ongoing and being conducted by the Rapid City Police Department, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the Rapid City Police Department’s Critical Accident Reconstruction Team.

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FINAL UPDATE

FATAL CRASH (AFTERNOON) UPDATE: The two decedents in the crash have been identified as 28-year-old Zachary Vermeulen of Rapid City and 24-year-old Andrew Smith of Rapid City. During the course of the investigation, police received information from several witnesses indicating the involved vehicle was driving at a high rate of speed just prior to the crash.

We are also aware of a false narrative that police were pursuing the vehicle prior to the collision with the apartment building. At no point during the course of the incident were police in pursuit of the vehicle. The first contact with the vehicle by police was in the related emergency response AFTER the collision occurred.

The RCPD’s Critical Accident Reconstruction Team continues to investigate the crash in conjunction with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.