Crash Diverts I-84 Traffic Between Wendell and Jerome

JEROME, Idaho (KLIX) — A Wendell man riding as a passenger in a pickup died Monday morning when the driver ran from deputies going the wrong way on Interstate 84 and hit a tractor-trailer.

Idaho State Police say the crash happened just after 1 a.m. a mile west of Jerome  after a 1999 Ford F-250 traveled about 7 miles going east in the westbound lanes.

Police say the driver Steven Pomrenke, 34, of Wendell was taken into custody. Juan Vargas, 40 of also of Wendell, died from injuries died from injuries in the crash.

The semi driver Casey Tippetts, 53, of Buffalo, Wyoming was unhurt. ISP didn't say why the driver fled from deputies with the Gooding County Sheriff's Office.

Westbound lanes were blocked for around four hours. The crash remains under investigation.