A sophomore male student from the Carey School was killed in a two-vehicle accident just after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning on U.S. Highway 20, west of state Highway 75. His identity has not been released, pending notification of his family.
Three other people were injured in the accident.
"The road was slick and icy," said Blaine County Sheriff's Office Lt. Jay Davis on Tuesday afternoon. "We are still trying to figure out what happened."
Davis said the accident took place about a mile east of Stanton Crossing on a straight section of Highway 20.
Blaine County School Superintendent Lonnie Barber stated in a news release that one of the vehicles was occupied by a driver education instructor who is a teacher at the Carey School and two students. Barber's statements were also distributed to school district staff.
"It is with great grief that I must inform you that one of our students in the driver's training car was killed as a result of injuries suffered in the crash," he stated.
Information obtained from Wood River Fire & Rescue indicates that the boy died at the scene.
The second student, a sophomore girl, was flown by emergency helicopter from the scene to Magic Valley Regional Medical Center in Twin Falls.
The girl suffered a broken hip but is in "good" condition, Barber said in an interview.
< The driving teacher was also injured in the crash. He was taken by ambulance to St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center, south of Ketchum, and then flown by emergency helicopter to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise.
Barber said the instructor was conscious but had "internal injuries," including a collapsed lung.
"His family is joining him down there," he said.
Barber said the district could not yet release the names of the crash victims, in part to allow time for the families to be contacted.
"We're grieving because we lost one of our family," he said. "It's difficult for the school and the school district."
Barber said school officials are praying for the victims and their families.
Davis said the single occupant of the second vehicle, a man, was also injured. His condition is unknown.
Davis said details about the crash and the victims would be released at a later date.
Police were first on the scene, while emergency responders from both Wood River and Carey mobilized. Four ambulances and about 30 rescuers responded to the accident scene.
The highway was temporarily closed during the response. Wood River Fire & Rescue had to extricate some of the victims.
Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com
