Practice News Story #11: Accident

Van Accident is a Tragic Day for USU
Posted: 1:25 p.m. MST, April 19, 2007

LOGAN, Utah- A 15-passenger van, that was carrying 10 agriculture students and an instructor from Utah State University, rolled several times on Interstate 84 west of Tremonton. The accident happened at about 4 p.m. on April 19. It seems that the left rear tire blew and the driver, Evan Parker, lost control. Lt. Ed Michaud confirmed that at least seven were dead at the scene and four others were taken to neighboring hospitals. The names of the men that have been confirmed dead are: Evan Parker, Ryan McEntire, Bradley Wilcox, and Justin Gunnel. Stan Albrecht, the president of Utah State University, said that Jared Nelson and Robert Peterson are at Ogden Regional Medical Center and Mckay Dee Hospital. Nelson and Peterson are most likely expected to survive. Some names have not yet been released because the families haven’t been contacted. Albrecht said, “This is a great loss for our university, we are going to be hurting for a long time … we’re equipped and we can work through this.”

Lt. Ed Michaud, the first highway patrol to arrive at the scene said that there were bodies all over the ground. He said, “This is by far the worst accident I’ve ever seen and probably will be the worst in my career.” This accident is said to have occurred because of a mechanical malfunction and high velocity. Michaud said, “I’d estimate the van was traveling at 95 mph to do this kind of damage.” However after speaking with Kyle Holden, who was the only witness to the accident, he said that his cruise control was set at about 80 mph and he was passing them.

Kyle Holden, who is a manager for Greenline Implements said that this group of students and instructor were on a field trip for Ag week at USU. They went out to see some farm machinery, they had been out in the field and were headed back to Tremonton to Greenline Implements when the accident happened. He was traveling with this group, but in his own car.

Noel Cockett, who is the Dean of College of Agriculture from USU said that most of the students in the accident were sophomores. She said that this was the best group of students that they have had in a long time. She spoke very highly of them when she said, “They were the best in what they do, and all around … it’s a great loss.” She also spoke of the driver, Evan Parker, she said, “He’s a great loss to the department, college, and university.” He was an established instructor who had been with USU for about 15 years. Cockett said, “This is a horrible tragedy for our university, it hurts on a personal level as well as a professional level.”