Photo: Twitter / Idaho State Police
Teens are not exactly the most reasonable, down to earth people, and this incident is proof of how a stupid, momentary decision can have life-altering (and life-ending) consequences.
Four teenagers went out for a ride in a red 2001 Toyota Echo over the weekend in Kellogg, Idaho. They ended up crashing into the median and one of the passengers was thrown from the wreck. He was pronounced dead upon arrival to a nearby hospital.
Now, the Idaho State Police is investigating the possibility that the teens were lighting fireworks inside the vehicle, as it was speeding down I-90. Alcohol was not a factor in the single-vehicle accident. A photo of the wreck is also attached to this article.
“Sadly, last night’s crash on I-90 near Kellogg was fatal. An 18-year old passenger was ejected and died from his injuries. No alcohol is suspected,” the department writes on the official Twitter page. “Distracted driving is being investigated as a cause as there is evidence fireworks were being ignited inside the vehicle.”
The victim has been identified as Colten Holzheu. Ryan Rodriguez, also 18, was at the wheel. The department doesn’t whether he will be facing charges in friend’s death, as the decision is pending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation. No word on whether the other 2 passengers were hurt in the crash.
Needless to say, lighting fireworks inside a moving vehicle is not smart. Neither is blowing soap balloons or moving around, or doing anything that could potentially distract the driver. Wearing a seatbelt at all times when the car is moving is ideal, as it protects from the exact thing that happened to this poor teen: being ejected from the car in case of a crash. In other words, seatbelts do save lives, this is not just a marketing motto.
Now, the Idaho State Police is investigating the possibility that the teens were lighting fireworks inside the vehicle, as it was speeding down I-90. Alcohol was not a factor in the single-vehicle accident. A photo of the wreck is also attached to this article.
“Sadly, last night’s crash on I-90 near Kellogg was fatal. An 18-year old passenger was ejected and died from his injuries. No alcohol is suspected,” the department writes on the official Twitter page. “Distracted driving is being investigated as a cause as there is evidence fireworks were being ignited inside the vehicle.”
The victim has been identified as Colten Holzheu. Ryan Rodriguez, also 18, was at the wheel. The department doesn’t whether he will be facing charges in friend’s death, as the decision is pending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation. No word on whether the other 2 passengers were hurt in the crash.
Needless to say, lighting fireworks inside a moving vehicle is not smart. Neither is blowing soap balloons or moving around, or doing anything that could potentially distract the driver. Wearing a seatbelt at all times when the car is moving is ideal, as it protects from the exact thing that happened to this poor teen: being ejected from the car in case of a crash. In other words, seatbelts do save lives, this is not just a marketing motto.
Sadly, last night’s crash on I-90 near Kellogg was fatal. An 18-year old passenger was ejected and died from his injuries. No alcohol is suspected. Distracted driving is being investigated as a cause as there is evidence fireworks were being ignited inside the vehicle. pic.twitter.com/rk5mkg4Bj3
— Idaho State Police (@ispdistrict1) May 27, 2019
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