Blanchard man dies after hitting tree

October 26, 2016

A Blanchard, Idaho, man died Tuesday afternoon after a single vehicle collision on State Highway 41 south of Spirit Lake. According to the Idaho State Police, Robert W. Sands, 71, was driving a 1997 Mazda Protege south on SH41 at McWilliams Road at about 1:26 p.m. October 25 when he drove off the southbound edge, overcorrected and returned to the roadway, crossing both lanes and off the northbound road edge, where he hit a tree. Sands was transported to Kootenai Health, where he was pronounced dead at 5:45 p.m. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.