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Copyright © 2003 Express Publishing Inc.
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For the week of December 24 - 30, 2003

News

Elk collision contributes to critical accident

12-year-old at wheel of one vehicle


"They responded quickly. They extricated Barbara (Zavala). They just treated everybody with incredible care. It was a horrendous accident. I actually believe they’re the reason people are still alive. I can’t say enough about them. Those guys did a super job."

BOB BINGHAM, Idaho State Police Cpl.


By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer

A 15-year-old girl was listed in critical condition Monday following a two-vehicle collision that began when a 12-year-old driver collided with an elk on Highway 75 Friday night north of Hailey.

Christina Zavala, the woman who allegedly allowed the boy to drive a vehicle, could face charges, said Idaho State Police Cpl. Bob Bingham. The underage driver will also face charges for driving without privileges.

On Monday afternoon, Bingham said he had not yet done a follow-up interview with Zavala about the accident. He was unclear about her age or relationship to those involved in the accident.

According to Blaine County Sheriff Walt Femling, the accident occurred while the 12-year-old was driving south, following Zavala on Highway 75 in Zavala’s 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe. At about 10:50 p.m., just south of the highway’s intersection with Deer Creek Road, the 12-year-old hit the elk.

The vehicle’s air bags deployed, and the young driver lost control, Femling said.

The Tahoe slid into the north-bound lane, where it was struck in the passenger side by a 1993 Chevrolet Blazer driven by John T. Loughran, 42, of Ketchum.

Barbara Zavala, 15, of Shoshone, who apparently is related to Christina Zavala, was riding with the 12-year-old driver. The passenger-side door where Barbara Zavala was sitting received the brunt of the impact, Bingham said.

All three victims were flown to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. By Tuesday afternoon, Loughran and the 12-year-old had been released. Barbara Zavala was still there, but her parents had asked that her condition not be released. On Monday morning, she had been listed in critical condition, Femling said.

Bingham said he was not sure what the relationships were between Barbara and Christina Zavala and the 12-year-old.

"Best I can tell, they’re friends," he said.

Loughran’s rottweiler, Apollo, was shaken up but relatively unharmed in the accident. The elk was killed on impact.

Loughran was the only person involved who was wearing a seat belt, Bingham said. According to Bingham’s report, a pipe and "green leafy substance with stems resembling that of marijuana" were discovered on the floor and in the console of Loughran’s Blazer.

According to Bingham, who said he also teaches driver’s education classes in Fairfield, the 12-year-old had permission from Christina Zavala to drive the vehicle and follow her to Hailey. He said the young driver’s inexperience "absolutely" contributed to the accident.

Bingham also said Blaine County’s emergency crews did a superb job responding to the accident.

"They responded quickly. They extricated Barbara (Zavala). They just treated everybody with incredible care," he said. "It was a horrendous accident. I actually believe they’re the reason people are still alive. I can’t say enough about them. Those guys did a super job."

Though driver inexperience is believed to be the primary contributor to the accident, the Deer Creek area is a hot spot for accidents involving deer and elk this fall.

But Femling said deer are the norm on Blaine County’s highways. Drivers would do well to keep their eyes peeled.

"We have several hot bed areas where a lot of deer and elk are hit throughout the county," he said. "We’ve always had a lot of deer on the highways in this valley."

 

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