Whitefish woman dies in rollover accident

A 27-year-old Whitefish mother died Friday night in a single-vehicle rollover on Hodgson Road.

Astrid Vang was traveling westbound in a Chevy Trailblazer and attempted to pass another vehicle when she hit an icy patch just west of Trumble Creek Road, according to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Eric Thoreson. Vang lost control of the SUV and went off of the south side of Hodgson Road and rolled the vehicle.

The accident happened just before 8 p.m. Friday.

Vang was not wearing her seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. She was transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Vang’s two children, aged 5 and 7, were in the vehicle with her and were properly restrained. They walked away with minor injuries, said Thoreson.

Vang was a single mother to the children.

“The kids were her world,” said Linda West who worked with Vang as a consultant for Scentsy online.

“She was a free spirit, down to earth — I was taken to her because of the way she was with life,” West said.

West has set up an online fundraiser for Vang’s family at www.gofundme.com/j5cth4. She says donations have already come in from across the U.S. West says the children’s grandfather plans to put the money into a savings account for the children.

The Growing In God’s Love preschool in Whitefish also is accepting donations for the family. Last weekend friends of the family dropped off Christmas presents for the children.

The preschool will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but will reopen following the holiday. They are open from 6:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., and can be reached at 863-1304.