Driver had blood alcohol level twice the legal limit in fatal Yellowstone crash, police say
BOISE, Idaho. (AP) — The driver of a pickup that crashed into a tour van near Yellowstone National Park this month, killing seven people, had a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit for driving, police said Friday.
The driver, identified previously as Isaih Moreno of Humble, Texas, had a blood alcohol content of 0.20, Idaho State Police said in a statement. The limit is 0.08.
'This tragedy should be a wake-up call,' police Capt. Chris Weadick said. 'No one plans to cause a crash or take a life when they get behind the wheel, but choices have consequences.'
Investigators determined that the Dodge Ram driven by Moreno crossed the center line and collided with the Mercedes van, which was carrying 14 people, in the May 1 crash. Both vehicles caught fire.
Moreno and six people from China, Italy and California were killed. Survivors were taken to nearby hospitals with injuries.
The highway where the crash happened south of West Yellowstone, Montana, is a route between Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons that is open in the spring before a north-south route is plowed and the park fully opens for summer.
Yellowstone is one of the country's largest national parks and draws millions of visitors each year.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Road accident in northern Nigeria kills 22 athletes returning from a sports festival
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A bus veered off a bridge in Nigeria's northern state of Kano, killing at least 22 athletes returning home from a sports festival and leaving several other passengers injured, the state's governor said. The cause of the accident, which happened on Saturday, was not immediately known. The athletes had taken part in the Nigerian National Sports Festival in the southern state of Ogun over the last week.
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
12 Ukrainian soldiers killed in Russian strike on army training unit
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — At least 12 Ukrainian service members were killed and more than 60 were injured in a Russian missile strike on the location of a Ukrainian army training unit Sunday, according to a statement from the Ukrainian Ground Forces. The strike occurred at 12:50 p.m. the statement said, emphasizing that no formations or mass gatherings of personnel were being held at the time. An investigative commission was created to uncover the circumstances around the attack that led to such a loss in personnel, the statement said.
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Poles vote for a new president in a pivotal runoff election
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poles were voting Sunday in a decisive presidential runoff that could set the course for the nation's political future and its relations with the European Union. The contest pits Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, a liberal pro-EU figure, against Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian backed by the right-wing Law and Justice party. The outcome will determine whether Poland takes a more nationalist path or pivots more decisively toward liberal democratic norms. With conservative President Andrzej Duda completing his second and final term, the new president will have significant influence over whether Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist government can fulfill its agenda, given the presidential power to veto laws. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Voting began at 7 a.m. and will end at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT), when an Ipsos exit poll is expected. Final results are likely to be announced Monday. The runoff follows a tightly contested first round on May 18, in which Trzaskowski won just over 31% and Nawrocki nearly 30%, eliminating 11 other candidates. Katarzyna Malek, a 29-year-old voter in Warsaw, cast her ballot in the first round for a left-wing candidate but went for Trzaskowski on Sunday, viewing him as more competent and more likely to pursue stronger ties with foreign partners and lower social tensions. 'I hope there will be less division, that maybe there will be more dialogue,' she said. The campaign has highlighted stark ideological divides. Trzaskowski, 53, has promised to restore judicial independence, ease abortion restrictions and promote constructive ties with European partners. Nawrocki, 42, has positioned himself as a defender of traditional Polish values, skeptical of the EU and aligned with U.S. conservatives, including President Donald Trump. Nawrocki's candidacy has been clouded by allegations of past connections to criminal figures and participation in a violent street battle. He denies the criminal links but acknowledges having taken part in 'noble' fights. The revelations have not appeared to dent his support among right-wing voters, many of whom see the allegations as politically motivated. Some of those voting for Nawrocki in Warsaw dismissed those allegations, saying he shouldn't be punished for his past and that Trzaskowski has also made mistakes as mayor. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Władysława Wąsowska, an 82-year-old former history teacher, recalled instilling patriotism in her students during the communist era, when Poland was under Moscow's influence. 'I'm a right-wing conservative. I love God, the church and the homeland,' she said, explaining that Nawrocki for her is the only patriotic choice, and accusing Trzaskowski of serving foreign interests. 'He's controlled by Germany,' she said. 'I want a sovereign, independent, democratic Poland — and a Catholic one.' Amid rising security fears over Russia's war in neighboring Ukraine, both candidates support aid to Kyiv, though Nawrocki opposes NATO membership for Ukraine, while Trzaskowski supports it in the future. Nawrocki's campaign has echoed themes popular on the American right, including an emphasis on traditional values. His supporters feel that Trzaskowski, with his pro-EU views, would hand over control of key Polish affairs to larger European powers like France and Germany. Many European centrists are rooting for Trzaskowski, seeing in him someone who would defend democratic values under pressure from authoritarian forces across the globe.
