A Watertown man was killed early Monday morning, July 9. Dale Steward, 45, was en route to Pierre for work when he came upon the scene of an accident on SD Highway 45 north of Miller, according to Hand County Sheriff Doug DeBoer.

Just before 5:30 a.m. Ronald Starr, Wheat Ridge, Colo., struck a deer with his 1998 Mazda sedan while traveling south on Highway 45 at milepost 120 (just north of the Rod Wagner residence). He stopped in the roadway as his airbags deployed diminishing his ability to see out the windshield. Traveling from the opposite direction, Kendall Robinson, Pierre, struck the same deer. Both men got out of their vehicles to evaluate the situation.

Law enforcement investigate the scene of Monday morning’s fatal accident north of Miller. A Watertown man was killed after swerving to miss the accident scene. Dale Steward’s Chevy Blazer cut the tracks in the ditch (foreground) before rolling multiple times across Highway 45, ejecting him in the process. Officers suspect Steward was not wearing his seat belt. (Jan Kittelson|The Miller Press)

Steward came upon the scene from the north. He swerved into the west ditch to avoid the men and vehicles on the roadway. Steward was ejected while his 1995 Chevy S10 Blazer rolled back east across Highway 45. The Blazer came to rest in the east ditch.

According to DeBoer, it does not appear Steward was wearing his seat belt.

The Miller Fire Department, Hand County Ambulance, Hand County Coroner Joel Huber, Hand County Emergency Management, and Rembold Funeral Home responded to the accident. The S.D. Highway Patrol and Hand County Sheriff are investigating.