Practice News Story 11: USU Van Accident
November 28,2008
Jason Rogers
Logan, UTAH- A 15-passenger-van carrying 11 Utah State University Students rolled out of control on south bound I-84 at around 4 p.m. Yesterday. The students along with their instructor, Evan Parker, were thrown from the vehicle after an apparent mechanical malfunction occurred with the vehicle. The students were on their way back from a field trip to Tremonton where they went to look at a agricultural machinery combine as a department field trip.
Utah Highway Patrol Leutanant Jason Jensen was the first trooper on the scene. According to his account, 9 passengers where unconscious at the scene and two were counciouse. Seven were later pronounced dead at the scene with four survivors taken to near by hospitols for medical treatment. Their conditions are still undisclosed.
“Their bodies where everywhere ... literally just scattered around the area,” said Leutant Jensen as he described what he encountered as he entered the scene.
Former USU student and friend of professor Parker, Kyle Holden, was driving next to the vehicle as it rolled off to the shoulder. He describes this as “One of the worst things I've ever seen in my life.”
Dean of Agriculture Noel Cockett had this to say about the accident of her students. “This is certainly something that will effect many students. They've got many friends ... really, this is one of the best classes that we've had. This is something that is going to hit the hearts of many people.”
1 comment:
Let's all keep these injured students in our prayers. At the same time USU officials should be called on to explain why they are using one of the most dangerous vehicles on America's highways to transport students. Surely they are aware of the National Highway Safety Administrations warning about how dangerous these vans are, see: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/studies/15PassVans/15PassCustomerAdvisory.htm and http://www.dot.gov/affairs/nhtsa2702.htm.
Use of this van by any school is negligence if not gross negligence.
John Bisnar www.californiainjuryblog.com
Post a Comment