In the early hours of December 9, 2023, a fatal car crash near Beresford, South Dakota, claimed the lives of three young individuals aged 18, 19, and 20. 

The incident, which occurred approximately 10 miles northwest of Beresford, also led to vehicle theft charges against a 20-year-old male, the sole survivor of the crash.  

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, responding to a stolen vehicle report, discovered the crash site at around 5:37 a.m. at 291st Street near 468th Ave. 

A 2014 Ram 1500 Sport, traveling eastbound, had left the roadway, gone airborne over a driveway, landed in a ditch, and rolled over. Three individuals, a woman, 19, a male, 18, and a 20-year-old male, lost their lives. They were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The authorities are withholding the names of these young victims until their families have been duly informed.

The fourth occupant, a 20-year-old male, allegedly fled the scene on foot and subsequently stole a vehicle from a nearby dairy farm. 

Law enforcement officials later located the young man at a residence in Beresford, with serious but non-life-threatening injuries sustained from the rollover. He was transported to a local hospital for medical attention and faces charges of underage drinking and vehicle theft.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with authorities focusing on determining who was driving the pickup at the time of the accident. The South Dakota Highway Patrol, South Dakota Division of Investigation, Beresford Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office, and Turner County Sheriff’s Department are involved in the investigation.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information about the crash to come forward. This case highlights the ongoing challenges of road safety and the consequences of illegal activities such as vehicle theft and underage drinking.