Butte man dies in water tanker crash

Officials have released the name of a 68-year-old Butte man who died Monday as a result of injuries sustained in a single-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 2 east of Havre.

Hill County Sheriff and Coroner Jamie Ross said the driver of the vehicle was Rolin L. Nitschke.

Montana Highway Patrol said that the crash was reported on U.S. Highway 2 at mile marker 388, which is about five miles east of Havre on the east side of Pork Chop Hill, Monday at 11:17 a.m.

The 2005 Freightliner water truck with out-of-state plates was westbound on Highway 2 when the front passenger side tire blew out and the vehicle left the road at a high rate of speed, Highway Patrol reports. It went into the ditch then left the ditch, continuing up the embankment, rolling over one and a quarter times before resting on the driver side.

Highway Patrol said that road conditions were dry and drugs and alcohol are not suspected in the crash but speed is. The driver was wearing a seat belt but was found dead at the scene.

Montana Highway Patrol, Hill Country Sheriff's Office and Havre Fire Department responded to the scene.