Latest news with #IzakSchermerhorn
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Graduation celebration ends in tragedy as homecoming king is 'killed by his friend in drunk driving crash'
A Minnesota high school graduation celebration ended in tragedy after an alleged drunk driving crash killed the school's homecoming king and left his classmate facing felony charges. Blake Unger, 18, a beloved homecoming king and standout athlete from New York Mills High School, was killed on Tuesday when his classmate, Izak Schermerhorn, also 18, crashed his pickup truck while intoxicated. The two had been celebrating their recent graduation when the fatal accident occurred in Bluffton Township, in the area of County Highway 75 and 640th Avenue. According to authorities, Schermerhorn had consumed three to four Mike's Hard Lemonades before picking up his friend for a late-night drive. Schermerhorn admitted to intentionally fishtailing on a gravel road and claimed he had been showcasing recent modifications to his truck's exhaust. 'Deputy Peterson observed deep ruts in the road where it appeared the driver had been aggressively fishtailing back and forth along the gravel road,' the criminal complaint reads, Fox9 reported. However, Schermerhorn eventually lost control of his truck, causing the vehicle to flip and roll into a ditch and pin Unger underneath. Despite efforts to revive him, Unger was pronounced dead at the scene. Schermerhorn, who had reportedly been sober for a year following a past struggle with alcoholism, expressed deep remorse to deputies, stating, 'I f***ed up' and that his life was over 'for a couple of drinks'. His blood alcohol content was measured at 0.13 - well above the legal limit for drivers of any age. He now faces three counts of criminal vehicular homicide - two for driving under the influence and one for gross negligence. A judge released him on $1,000 bail on Thursday, with conditions including counseling and abstaining from alcohol and drugs. He is scheduled to return to court on June 10. Unger was remembered for his athleticism and leadership, particularly his game-saving interceptions in football and his contributions to the wrestling team. 'It is with a great deal of sadness that I share this message with you … that a member of our school community has passed away in a motor vehicle accident,' District Superintendent Adam Johnson said in a statement to families. 'This is a devastating time for our entire community.' GoFundMe fundraiser has since been created to support the family through their loss.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Homecoming king is killed by his friend in tragic graduation celebration
A Minnesota high school graduation celebration ended in tragedy after an alleged drunk driving crash killed the school's homecoming king and left his classmate facing felony charges. Blake Unger, 18, a beloved homecoming king and standout athlete from New York Mills High School, was killed on Tuesday when his classmate, Izak Schermerhorn, also 18, crashed his pickup truck while intoxicated. The two had been celebrating their recent graduation when the fatal accident occurred in Bluffton Township in the area of County Highway 75 and 640th Avenue. According to authorities, Schermerhorn had consumed three to four Mike's Hard Lemonades before picking up his friend for a late-night drive. Schermerhorn admitted to intentionally fishtailing on a gravel road and claimed he had been showcasing recent modifications to his truck's exhaust. 'Deputy Peterson observed deep ruts in the road where it appeared the driver had been aggressively fishtailing back and forth along the gravel road,' the criminal complaint reads, Fox9 reported. However, Schermerhorn eventually lost control of his truck, causing the vehicle to flip and roll into a ditch and pinning Unger underneath. Despite efforts to revive him, Unger was pronounced dead at the scene. Schermerhorn, who had reportedly been sober for a year following a past struggle with alcoholism, expressed deep remorse to deputies, stating, 'I f**ked up' and that his life was over 'for a couple of drinks.' His blood alcohol content was measured at 0.13 - well above the legal limit for drivers of any age. He now faces three counts of criminal vehicular homicide - two for driving under the influence and one for gross negligence. A judge released him on $1,000 bail on Thursday, with conditions including counseling and abstaining from alcohol and drugs. Unger was remembered for his athleticism and leadership, particularly his game-saving interception in football and his contributions to the wrestling team He is scheduled to return to court on June 10. Unger was remembered for his athleticism and leadership, particularly his game-saving interception in football and his contributions to the wrestling team. 'It is with a great deal of sadness that I share this message with you … that a member of our school community has passed away in a motor vehicle accident,' District Superintendent Adam Johnson said in a statement to families. 'This is a devastating time for our entire community.' A GoFundMe fundraiser has since been created to support the family through their loss.
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Homecoming king killed as classmate allegedly drove him drunk to celebrate their graduation: ‘I f–ked up'
A high school homecoming king was killed when his drunk classmate crashed while showing off his truck just days after their graduation — with the driver sobbing to cops that he was an alcoholic who 'f–ked up,' according to authorities. Izak Schermerhorn, 18, was charged Thursday with vehicular homicide for crashing and killing his school's homecoming king, Blake Unger, 18, while taking him for a late-night drive in Western Minnesota, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox 9. Unger was found trapped under his pal's pickup truck — and a deputy noted deep ruts in the gravel road where 'it appeared the driver had been aggressively fishtailing back and forth.' Advertisement Izak Schermerhorn, 18, is charged with vehicular homicide. Otter Tail County Detention Facility Schermerhorn told deputies he had been sober for a year after battling with alcoholism — but had drunk three or four Mike's Hard lemonades 'to celebrate' them both graduating from New York Mills High School on Friday, the document said. The teen driver 'repeatedly made statements that 'his life was over and all for a couple of drinks' and that he 'f–cked up,'' according to the complaint. Advertisement Schermerhorn also allegedly told deputies 'he wanted to show off the sound of his exhaust because he modified his catalytic converter.' 'He intentionally had been sliding around the road before the crash and was not able to control the vehicle when it went into the ditch,' police noted. Blake Unger was named homecoming king of New York Mills High School this fall. Facebook / Dinee Dixie Dykhoff Schermerhorn was charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide related to being drunk and a third alleging gross negligence. Advertisement He appeared in court on Thursday where a judge granted his release on $1,000 bail on the condition he seeks counseling, abstains from drug or alcohol use and remains out of trouble. He is scheduled to return to court on June 10. Unger was a three-sport athlete at New York Mills High School and was crowned homecoming king last fall, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. 'It is with a great deal of sadness that I share this message with you … that a member of our school community has passed away in a motor vehicle accident,' District Superintendent Adam Johnson said in a statement to families. 'This is a devastating time for our entire community.'
