Frederick Lee VanHorn; Falling tower light pole victim identified.

Frederick Lee VanHorn – A tragic incident along I-229 resulted in the death of a man when a large tower light pole fell onto his vehicle. The South Dakota Department of Public Safety has identified the victim as 60-year-old Frederick Lee VanHorn of Sioux Falls.
The accident occurred near exit 9, where a contractor was working on the tower light pole. For reasons still under investigation, the pole began to lean and eventually toppled over, falling across the northbound lanes of the highway. At that moment, VanHorn’s vehicle was passing by, and the falling pole struck his car, causing fatal injuries.
VanHorn was pronounced dead at the scene. The South Dakota Highway Patrol is continuing its investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause and whether any safety protocols were breached during the contractor’s work on the pole.
This tragic event has left the community in mourning as they await further details from the ongoing investigation. The Highway Patrol will likely release more information once their findings are complete, aiming to provide clarity and possibly prevent similar accidents in the future.