Practice News Story 11: Accident

Posted 4:45 p.m. MST, April 18, 2007

TREMONTON, Utah- A Utah State University van rolled on Interstate 84, west of Tremonton on Wednesday afternoon. Ten USU students and one instructor were involved. High speed and vehicle malfunction probably contributed to the crash. Four survivors were transported to nearby hospitals.

The group was on their way home from an Agricultural Systems Department field trip to kick off Ag Week. Evan Parker was the driver of the vehicle that crashed. Kyle Holden manages the farm implement store that the group had just visited and was driving next to the van at the time of the accident.

Holden reported that the tire blew and the vehicle was simply too big for Parker to gain control. The vehicle rolled, and bodies flew into the air. “I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life,” Holden said. Jennie Smith and Holden witnessed the accident. Smith helped the emergency people by doing anything they told her.

Police Lieutenant Ed Michaud was the first law enforcement officer on the scene with his partner Jason Jensen. “It appears that a van filled with young men mostly in their 20’s lost control and rolled off the interstate … and it looks like no one was wearing seatbelts,” said Michaud. Seven people are confirmed dead.

Guy Westoff, the Supervisor of USU motor vehicles told us that the vehicle would not have been on a trip if it hadn’t of passed the inspection. “It was a tragedy for our institution,” said USU President, Stan Albrecht.