Latest news with #100DeadliestDays
USA Today
3 days ago
- USA Today
Drunk driver caused fiery crash that killed 7 near Yellowstone National Park, police say
Drunk driver caused fiery crash that killed 7 near Yellowstone National Park, police say Show Caption Hide Caption Seven dead after tour van, pickup crash near Yellowstone National Park Seven people died after a pickup truck and a tour van collided near Yellowstone National Park, police say. The driver of a pickup truck involved in a deadly and fiery collision near Yellowstone National Park earlier this month was intoxicated at over twice the legal limit, authorities have determined. The crash on May 1 left seven people dead, including the driver of the pickup and six of the 14 who were on board a tour van. The two vehicles collided at about 7:15 p.m. local time near Henry's Lake in Island Park, Idaho, about 20 miles from the park, causing both to burst into flames, according to the Idaho State Police. The crash shut down Highway 20 for about seven hours, authorities said. The pickup driver, who was identified as 25-year-old Isaih Moreno of Humble, Texas, had a blood alcohol content of 0.20%, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08%, state police said in an update on May 30. Moreno was determined to be the at-fault driver in the collision. Police said the pickup crossed the center line into oncoming traffic, causing the crash. First responders including an air ambulance treated more than a dozen patients. Shortly after the crash, bystanders and a Fremont County sheriff's deputy helped injured people in the van as it went up in flames, Idaho State Police said. Idaho State Police said the crash happened just as Idaho prepared to enter a period known as the "100 Deadliest Days" – the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when "traffic fatalities typically rise due to increased summer travel, holidays, and impaired driving." Alcohol is the leading cause of traffic deaths in Idaho, the state police said. 'This tragedy should be a wake-up call,' Captain Chris Weadick said in a statement. 'No one plans to cause a crash or take a life when they get behind the wheel, but choices have consequences. Impaired driving isn't just illegal – it's deadly. If you see someone unfit to drive, speak up. Lives depend on it.' Who were the victims? Moreno and six people on board a tour van died in the crash. The van, operated by Ctour Holiday LLC, was on an excursion to Yellowstone National Park at the time of the crash. The driver was licensed in California. Twelve of the occupants held Chinese citizenship and one was from Italy, Idaho State Police said. Those killed were identified as:
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Driver who caused fiery crash that killed 6 tourists outside Yellowstone had BAC twice the legal limit: cops
The pick-up truck driver who caused a fiery crash with a tour van near Yellowstone National Park last month — killing himself and six others — had a blood alcohol content more than twice the legal limit. Isaih Moreno, 25, had a BAC of 0.20 after his body was pulled from the wreckage, while the Idaho legal limit is 0.08, state police revealed Friday. 'This tragedy should be a wake-up call,' ISP Captain Chris Weadick said in a statement. Isaih Moreno had a blood alcohol content of 0.20 when he caused the deadly crash outside Yellowstone Park. AP 'No one plans to cause a crash or take a life when they get behind the wheel, but choices have consequences. Impaired driving isn't just illegal — it's deadly. If you see someone unfit to drive, speak up. Lives depend on it.' The deadly crash occurred just before 7:15 p.m. on May 21 when Moreno swerved across the center line and collided with the Mercedes van carrying 14 people, investigators said. Both vehicles burst into flames, and six people aboard the tour van were killed. The international victims were identified as Jian Shi, 56, of Shanghai and Xiaoming Jiang, 66, of Guilin, China, and Ivana Wen, 28, of Milan, Italy. Seven people, including Moreno, were killed. AP Two of the deceased travelers were California residents: Li Nie, 64, and Aifeng Wan, 53, both of Arcadia. The van's 30-year-old driver Yu Zhang, of Eastvale, California, was also killed. Moreno, of Humble, Texas, was also killed. The highway where the crash happened is a popular route between Yellowstone and the Grand Teton national parks in the spring, when northern roads are still covered with snow. According to investigators, the tragedy came just before the start of Idaho's 100 Deadliest Days, or the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when traffic fatalities typically rise due to increased summer travel, holidays and impaired driving. Alcohol-related crashes remain one of the leading causes of traffic deaths in Idaho, state police said. 'Idaho's roads are especially busy during the summer,' Idaho Transportation Department Operations Manager Bryan Young said. 'With more construction, increased travel, and an influx of visitors, we're seeing more families and more drivers on the road. It only takes one impaired driver to change lives forever. This is a preventable problem, and it starts with each of us making responsible choices.'
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Driver who caused fiery crash that killed 7 tourists outside Yellowstone had BAC twice the legal limit: cops
The pick-up truck driver who caused a fiery crash with a tour van near Yellowstone National Park last month — killing himself and six others — had a blood alcohol content more than twice the legal limit. Isaih Moreno, 25, had a BAC of 0.20 after his body was pulled from the wreckage, while the Idaho legal limit is 0.08, state police revealed Friday. 'This tragedy should be a wake-up call,' ISP Captain Chris Weadick said in a statement. Isaih Moreno had a blood alcohol content of 0.20 when he caused the deadly crash outside Yellowstone Park. AP 'No one plans to cause a crash or take a life when they get behind the wheel, but choices have consequences. Impaired driving isn't just illegal — it's deadly. If you see someone unfit to drive, speak up. Lives depend on it.' The deadly crash occurred just before 7:15 p.m. on May 21 when Moreno swerved across the center line and collided with the Mercedes van carrying 14 people, investigators said. Both vehicles burst into flames, and six people aboard the tour van were killed. The international victims were identified as Jian Shi, 56, of Shanghai and Xiaoming Jiang, 66, of Guilin, China, and Ivana Wen, 28, of Milan, Italy. Seven people, including Moreno, were killed. AP Two of the deceased travelers were California residents: Li Nie, 64, and Aifeng Wan, 53, both of Arcadia. The van's 30-year-old driver Yu Zhang, of Eastvale, California, was also killed. Moreno, of Humble, Texas, was also killed. The highway where the crash happened is a popular route between Yellowstone and the Grand Teton national parks in the spring, when northern roads are still covered with snow. According to investigators, the tragedy came just before the start of Idaho's 100 Deadliest Days, or the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when traffic fatalities typically rise due to increased summer travel, holidays and impaired driving. Alcohol-related crashes remain one of the leading causes of traffic deaths in Idaho, state police said. 'Idaho's roads are especially busy during the summer,' Idaho Transportation Department Operations Manager Bryan Young said. 'With more construction, increased travel, and an influx of visitors, we're seeing more families and more drivers on the road. It only takes one impaired driver to change lives forever. This is a preventable problem, and it starts with each of us making responsible choices.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The 100 Deadliest Days: AAA says teen driver deaths jump in summer months
May 30—WILKES-BARRE — Jana Tidwell, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic, this week said summer months are particularly dangerous as more young drivers hit the road during school breaks with many logging more unsupervised driving time than usual. "We encourage families to take advantage of AAA resources like our driver education classes and parent-teen safe driving agreements to help set clear expectations for driving privileges," Tidwell said. According to AAA, across the country, 13,135 people have been killed in a crash involving a teen driver between 2019 and 2023. More than 30% of those deaths occurred during the "100 deadliest days" between Memorial Day and Labor Day, according to a AAA review of crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. On average, eight people are killed per day in teen-involved driving crashes in the summer, compared to seven per day during the rest of the year. In 2023, the most recent year of complete crash data, 2,897 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver. A third of those deaths — 860 — happened during the 100 Deadliest Days. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety analysis of NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data of deadly crashes involving drivers ages 15-18 in Pennsylvania shows the tragic impact in the summer months: According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety 2023 Traffic Safety Culture Index, teen drivers ages 16-18 admitted to having engaged in at least one of the following risky behaviors in the past 30 days: —Holding and talking on a cell phone (42%) —Reading a text or an email on a cell phone (46%) —Sending a text or email (33%) —Using hands-free technology (Bluetooth, CarPlay) (60%) —Driving 10 mph over the speed limit on a residential street (49%) —Driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway (41%) —Red-light running (30%) —Aggressive driving (28%) —Drowsy driving (20%) —Driving without a seatbelt (17%) —Drinking enough alcohol to be over the adult legal limit (7%) —Riding in a car driven by someone who has had too much alcohol (10%) —Driving within an hour of having used marijuana (10%) AAA says there are steps teens and parents can take to save lives. Parents should model safe driving behavior and talk with their teens about buckling up, obeying speed limits and putting phones away. With teens out of school, summer is also a great time for young drivers to complete a comprehensive driver education course to learn the rules of the road. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety also has new research highlighting the life-saving potential of smartphone-blocking technology. Parents should encourage teens to use "do not disturb" features on their phones to silence distractions while driving. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Good roads cost less:' Utah infrastructure receives ‘C+' grade from engineers, above national average
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) — The Utah section of the American Society of Civil Engineers released its 2025 Report Card for Utah's Infrastructure on Thursday, with grades released for 12 different categories that were measured. A spokesperson with the shared his thoughts on the report card. Overall, Utah earned a 'C+' grade, one of three states to receive this grade, along with Georgia and Wisconsin. The grade is also the highest the ASCE has given to any state and is just above the national average of 'C' in the , which was released in March. Police ramp up education for 100 Deadliest Days The state's aviation infrastructure was the only category to see a grade increase, while three categories saw decreases: bridges, stormwater and transit. All other categories remained the same from 2020. Here are the grades for each category measured: B+ — Roads B — Bridges B- — Drinking Water, Solid Waste, Transit C+ — Aviation, Dams, Hazardous Waste C — Stormwater, Wastewater D+ — Canals D- — Levees Craig Friant, Chair of the Report Card, said that state leaders have taken steps to ensure the reliability of infrastructure systems as more people move to the state, but he added that will also create problems with water supply. 'A growing population and more frequent droughts also mean our water supply faces ongoing threats,' Friant said in the report. 'While Utahns have drastically reduced their water usage, there are ongoing challenges, and leaders need to be proactive with their solutions.' The report cited that the investment in infrastructure from Utah leaders helped the state earn high grades for roads and bridges. It also cited state lawmakers' approval of $14 billion in funding for transportation in 2023, spread over six years, as another factor in the grade increase for roads. John Gleason, the public relations director with UDOT, shared his thoughts on the grades for roads and bridges, most of which are managed by the department. 'We put a lot of focus into maintaining our roads, keeping them in good shape. We have a saying that 'good roads cost less,' and what that means is if we can do these maintenance projects and keep them in shape… then that staves off the big capacity projects,' Gleason told ABC4. UDOT's bridge management program is very 'robust,' Gleason shared. He said that UDOT has a great understanding of the life cycle of bridges and what maintenance needs to be done to make them last. He said that funding for these projects is what helped roads and bridges receive these higher grades. 'We've had a lot of big capacity projects in the last few decades, you know, it was a different story before the Winter Olympics 2002, but over the years we've had a major commitment by our state leaders,' Gleason stated. 'They understand the importance of a good transportation system and what that means for the economy.' Gleason said that UDOT has been innovating with its construction of bridges. He stressed that this innovation helps them be wise with the taxpayer money that goes into these projects. 'We've been leaders in the way that we build bridges and the way that we maintain bridges for a long time,' he said. 'We don't say 'this is the way it's always been done in the past,' we always look for new innovative ways that are going to save time and money.' Double-tracking the frontrunner is a big project for UDOT, Gleason shared. He said that they have committed not only to moving vehicles, but moving people. UDOT is also working on improvements to walking and biking trails as well as connections to transit. 'It really speaks to the quality of life that we have here in Utah…' Gleason said. 'We want to make sure that we can maintain that and even make things better here in the future.' The full report is . Latest Headlines: Utah's House to elect new leadership. Here's who's running 'Good roads cost less:' Utah infrastructure receives 'C+' grade from engineers, above national average Salt Lake woman dies in crash after allegedly stealing a car, fleeing from police Syracuse police release photo of assault suspect, provide update Intermountain Health breaks ground on new St. George clinic Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
