BERESFORD, S.D. (Press Release) – A Sioux Falls, S.D., man has been identified as the person who died in a fatal crash involving four vehicles early Wednesday morning north of Beresford.

A 2007 Peterbilt Conventional semi-truck was southbound on Interstate 29 when the vehicle lost a tire. The tire and rim landed in the passing lane of the northbound lanes where it was hit by a 2011 Dodge Ram pickup. The impact caused the pickup driver to lose control and the pickup crossed the median and into the southbound lanes where it struck a southbound 2005 Chevrolet Express van. The pickup rolled and went into the ditch.  The van entered the median and rolled into the northbound lanes. The driver of the van, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the vehicle onto the northbound lanes. A 2003 Chevrolet Silverado pickup became involved in the crash when it swerved to miss the van.

Brenton Johnson, the 29-year-old driver of the van, was pronounced dead at the scene. The van passenger, Carl Bruening, 21, of Rapid City,  was wearing a seatbelt and received serious non-life threatening injuries. He was transferred to a Sioux Falls hospital. Also receiving minor injuries was Timothy Honaker, Jr., of Beresford, the 31-year-old driver of the Dodge Ram pickup. Not injured were the 29-year-old male driver of the semi-truck and the 61-year-old male driver of the Silverado pickup.  The others involved were wearing seatbelts.

Both northbound lanes were closed to traffic for almost three hours and southbound traffic was reduced to one lane for three hours.

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

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