NewsSports

Team van involved in accident

by Danny Craig
Features Editor
and
Agke Grow
Sports Editor

A van carrying eight individuals affiliated with the University of La Verne basketball program was involved in a multiple vehicle collision on the 210 freeway returning to the main campus from Occidental College at approximately 9:30 Monday night.

Junior Kevin Gustafson, who was one of six team members in the van when the accident occurred, said the collision happened right before the team vans approached the Myrtle Avenue exit.

“We were probably going between 55 to 60 miles per hour,” said Gustafson.

Sgt. John Tapia, the investigating officer for the California Highway Patrol, said five vehicles were involved in the crash. Vehicle one ran out of gas in the far right lane. Vehicle two rear-ended the first vehicle and subsequently spun into the far-left lane, where it was hit by vehicle three, the ULV team van. Vehicle four collided with the team van and drove away. The ULV van then ran into vehicle five, and came to rest.

Tapia said the CHP believes the ULV van and vehicle five were victims of circumstance, and the initial collision between vehicles one and two is currently under the greatest scrutiny.

Sophomore James Morrison had previously arranged to return home separately to ULV. While driving home, Morrison passed by the scene of the accident and said he was shocked by what he saw.

“We saw the wreck and then I saw the University of La Verne van,” said Morrison. “My heart sank. I mean, those are my teammates.”

Tapia said he hopes a witness will come forward with information that will help to identify the driver of vehicle four, which committed a hit-and-run.

“Sometimes people go home, go to sleep, and then realize, ‘Hey, I saw something,’ ” he said.

Kyle Killam, who was a passenger in the ULV van, said of the hit-and-run vehicle, “they just kept on going.”

Gustafson, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, said he suffered a severe contusion and strained hip muscles. After being helped out of the vehicle by fellow team members, he was taken to Arcadia Methodist Hospital by ambulance approximately 45 minutes after the accident occurred, and was released shortly after.

There were no serious injuries, and the entire basketball team was able to practice this week.

Junior athletic trainer Nathan Swift, seated directly behind Dan Mulville when the accident happened, said, “Everybody was really shook up.”

Danny Craig, Sports Editor
Danny Craig
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Agke Grow, Sports Editor
Agke Grow
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