Kristi Selwyn Obituary, Death: 44-Year-Old Yankton Woman Identified as Victim in Fatal Early-Morning Single-Vehicle Crash Near Wagner; South Dakota Highway Patrol Investigates Overcorrection and Rollover Dynamics as Community Mourns and Passenger Dewey Cournoyer Recovers from Minor Injuries

In the early hours of a quiet Saturday morning in Charles Mix County, South Dakota, tragedy struck on a rural stretch of roadway when a Ford F-150 pickup truck, driven by Kristi Selwyn, a 44-year-old woman from Yankton, overturned near the intersection of 394th Avenue and 299th Street, roughly four miles south of Wagner. The violent single-vehicle crash claimed Selwyn’s life after she succumbed to injuries sustained in the incident despite receiving emergency medical attention. A passenger in the vehicle, 47-year-old Dewey Cournoyer of Wagner, suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene without the need for hospitalization.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety released preliminary details indicating that the crash occurred at approximately 1:45 a.m., a time of limited visibility and increased risk on rural roads. According to initial findings, Selwyn was driving northbound on 394th Avenue when the vehicle veered off course. In an attempt to regain control, she overcorrected, triggering a yaw—a technical term used to describe a sudden, unbalanced lateral spin of a vehicle. This erratic motion ultimately caused the truck to roll over, leading to the devastating outcome.

Emergency responders were dispatched swiftly to the scene. Selwyn, who was critically injured, was transported to a nearby hospital. Despite the efforts of first responders and medical staff, she was later pronounced dead—her life cut short in an accident that now casts a somber shadow over both her hometown of Yankton and the nearby community of Wagner.

As is protocol in serious motor vehicle incidents, the South Dakota Highway Patrol assumed lead investigative duties at the scene. While the official cause of the crash remains undetermined, investigators are currently examining several contributing factors, including road conditions, vehicle speed, weather, and mechanical integrity. It has not yet been disclosed whether seatbelts were in use, a detail that often plays a pivotal role in both survivability and liability assessments in rollover crashes.

The incident comes at a time when South Dakota, like many rural states, continues to grapple with high fatality rates in single-vehicle accidents, particularly on rural roads during nighttime hours. These roads—often unlit, narrow, and bordered by open fields or ditches—pose a higher risk for overcorrection incidents. When a vehicle’s wheels leave the pavement, drivers may instinctively oversteer in a bid to return to the roadway, only to find themselves in an uncontrollable skid or yaw, a phenomenon well-documented in traffic safety studies.

In Selwyn’s case, the crash narrative underscores this very risk. The vehicle’s transition from veering to yawing and then overturning suggests a classic rollover trajectory, one that may have been exacerbated by the truck’s center of gravity, potential road curvature, or even fatigue. At 1:45 a.m., visibility and alertness are naturally compromised, and while investigators have yet to confirm these elements, they remain high on the list of possibilities.

For Dewey Cournoyer, the surviving passenger, the morning brought trauma of another kind. Though physically spared with minor injuries, he now carries the weight of having been present in the vehicle as the fatal crash unfolded. In many such cases, survivors of fatal accidents become critical witnesses to the unfolding investigation. Authorities will likely seek Cournoyer’s account to understand the moments leading up to the crash, including any signs of distress, changes in vehicle performance, or interactions within the cabin.

Beyond the investigation, the human toll of the accident resonates deeply in Yankton, where Selwyn resided. Her friends and family are now left grieving, grappling with the abrupt loss of a woman whose final moments were spent not in rest or celebration, but in chaos and trauma on a dark country road. Though the obituary details provided are limited in scope, the emotional gravity of the situation is unmistakable. In communities like Yankton and Wagner, where social ties run deep and news of tragedy spreads quickly, the ripple effect of such an incident can be profound.

The tragedy also places renewed focus on rural highway safety, particularly regarding pickup trucks, which are more prone to rollovers than other vehicles due to their higher center of gravity and frequently uneven weight distribution. According to national crash data, pickup trucks account for a disproportionate number of single-vehicle fatalities in the U.S., especially in cases involving high speeds, unpaved shoulders, and driver overcorrection.

Another element under scrutiny is the condition of the road itself. The intersection of 394th Avenue and 299th Street is located in a remote, agricultural part of Charles Mix County, where road surfaces may vary in traction and grade. Gravel roads, frost heaves, and narrow shoulders are common in these areas and can dramatically reduce a driver’s margin for error—especially in low-light conditions. Investigators will likely examine tire tracks, vehicle skid patterns, and surface conditions to determine whether the environment contributed to Selwyn’s loss of control.

As the South Dakota Highway Patrol continues its investigation, they have issued a public call for assistance. Anyone with information about the crash, or who may have been in the area at the time, is urged to contact authorities. In many rural accidents, eyewitnesses are scarce, and any additional context—even passing observations—can play a crucial role in reconstructing events and ensuring accurate conclusions.

So far, no further details have been released regarding whether alcohol, fatigue, or mechanical malfunction played a part in the crash. Toxicology results, if applicable, may take days or weeks to be finalized. Likewise, forensic analysis of the vehicle—particularly brake condition, steering alignment, and electronic diagnostic data—may yield key insights.

For now, Kristi Selwyn becomes the latest name in a growing list of individuals lost to rural roadway crashes. Her death, though singular in occurrence, reflects a broader national trend and raises questions about driver education, infrastructure investment, and vehicle safety standards, especially in regions where emergency response is measured not in minutes but in miles.

As of this writing, no announcements have been made regarding funeral services or memorial arrangements, though it is expected that the Yankton community will come together in remembrance. In the quiet wake of trauma, such gatherings provide not only solace but a collective moment to confront the fragility of life on South Dakota’s open roads.

The investigation is ongoing. Updates will follow as authorities continue to gather evidence and work toward a clearer understanding of what transpired in the early morning darkness outside Wagner. What remains undisputed, however, is the enduring impact on the lives left behind—and the solemn reminder that every drive carries with it the weight of unforeseen possibilities.