Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Post-party accident kills 2 teens

Rodeo queen and aspiring attorney victims of tragic crash


By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

Brooke Selisch (top) and Pauline Hoagland

A single-vehicle rollover following an all-night juvenile party south of Carey claimed the lives of two Hailey girls on Sunday.

Pronounced dead later that day were 16-year-old Brooke Ellen Estelle Selisch, a rodeo queen and Wood River High School student, and 17-year-old Pauline Hoagland, who attended the Silver Creek Alternative School in Hailey last year, later obtained her General Education Diploma and aspired to become an attorney.

Hoagland's father described the girls as "very good friends."

Blaine County Coroner Russell Mikel reported that both girls died of "internal injuries to the head and chest." Hoagland was pronounced dead shortly after 10 a.m. at St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center near Ketchum, while Selisch died around 5 p.m. at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise.

Hoagland is the daughter of Robert Richardson, of Hailey, and Angela Richardson, of New Plymouth. Selisch is the daughter of Kurt and Gayle Selisch, both of Hailey.

The Blaine County Sheriff's Office reported that the accident occurred shortly before 7:30 a.m. south of Bellevue on Gannett Road about a half-mile south of its intersection with Pero Road.

"We're trying to make a determination as to who was driving the vehicle and what was the cause of the accident," Sheriff's Capt. Ed Fuller said Monday.

Fuller said the vehicle, a black 1993 Jeep Cherokee registered to Kurt and Gayle Selisch, was northbound when it drifted to the west side of the road, was overcorrected and rolled, coming to rest on its top.

"There were skid marks," he said. "The speed was relatively slow, based on the skid marks."

Selisch and Hoagland, along with 16-year-old Aksel Sliwicki, a third occupant of the vehicle, were transported by ambulance to St. Luke's. Sliwicki was treated and released and Selisch was transported by emergency helicopter by Saint Alphonsus where she later died in the hospital's intensive care unit.

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The sheriff's office reported that Selisch, Hoagland and Sliwicki were returning to Hailey from a juvenile party that was held on U.S. Bureau of Land Management property in Lincoln County.

Heather Tiel-Nelson, public affairs specialist with the BLM Twin Falls District Office, said the party was held within a wilderness study area south of Carey. She further said that the party is being investigated by BLM in cooperation with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.

Numerous Blaine County youngsters reportedly attended the party, which according to a sheriff's office press release was still under way when BLM and Lincoln County authorities arrived at the scene later Sunday morning.

Selisch had just finished her sophomore year at Wood River High School. She was crowned 5th District High School rodeo queen on May 3 and was set to represent the district at the Idaho State High School rodeo competition in Pocatello later this month.

She also planned to participate later this summer in the queen competition at the Hailey Days of the Old West Rodeo.

Selisch was an avid horsewoman, having started riding at age 9. She earlier competed in dressage, show jumping and cross-country competitions but switched to rodeo events two years ago. She competed in barrel racing and pole bending.

Robert Richardson described his daughter Pauline Hoagland as a "free spirit who loved life."

"She had hundreds of friends," Richardson said. "She loved peace and colorful things and would have been very comfortable in the 60s. She was all about 'make love, not war.'

"I love her and I'm going to miss her dearly," he said.

Angela Richardson said her daughter was always there to support her and help with a younger sister.

"She was the most beautiful loving spirit," she said. "She wanted to be a lawyer, and she was my best friend."




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