UPDATE: Two of Five USU Athletes Injured In Semi-Truck Crash Released From Hospital
CACHE COUNTY, UTAH – June 29, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) –
According to a statement from USU athletic department, Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Adewale Adeoye (Ada-wall-a A-doy-yah) and senior defensive lineman John Taylor were both released from the hospital Sunday afternoon.
Redshirt junior defensive lineman Edmund Faimalo (Fie-mah-lo), senior defensive lineman Travis Seefeldt and former USU softball player Sarah Vasquez continue to improve but remain in the hospital as of Monday morning.
In a written statement, USU Interim Athletics Director Jana Doggett said “First and foremost, thank you to everyone who has had these five Aggie student-athletes in their thoughts and prayers, including numerous representative from the Mountain West Conference and its member institutions,” She also said they wanted to thank the first responders and all of the medical personnel who have worked so tirelessly to provide the best care possible to our family members. “Everyone associated with Aggie Athletics, from its coaches, student-athletes, administrators, boosters and fans, are extremely thankful for the good news we have heard over the past two days on the condition of those involved in the accident. They are truly blessed,” said Doggett.
The athletes were all severely injured on Friday after the vehicle they were in pulled into the path of an oncoming semi-truck at the intersection of State Route 142 and State Route 23 in Cache County, were released
According to the Utah Highway Patrol, the students consisting of four football players and a former softball player, were returning from an outing on Newton Reservoir when the driver of the Chevy Tahoe they were in attempted to slow as he approached a stop sign before accelerating into the intersection.
The driver of the semi, Steve Randall, 46, of Preston, Idaho swerved to avoid the accident, but instead broadsided the Tahoe which was pushed 75 yards into a resident’s front yard.
The UHP says the Tahoe’s driver, Travis Seedfeldt, 22, of Logan, Utah was critically injured in crash and flown by medical helicopter to McKay Dee Hospital.
The front seat passenger, Sarah Vasquez , 22, a former Aggie softball player, was at first being taken by ambulance to Logan Regional Hospital when rescuers made the call to also fly her to McKay Dee Hospital.
Traveling in the read of the Tahoe, Edmund Fimalo, 21, Adewald Adeoye, 19, and John Taylor, 21, were taken by ground ambulance to Logan Regional Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Investigators say it appears no one in the Tahoe was wearing a seatbelt.
The truck driver and his eleven year old son were both treated for minor injuries and released at the scene.
