'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABeAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgcQAAIDAQABBQAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQRAAUGBxITUgEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABREAAgMAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAxEEEjH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AKf3Wq2PSd2tU8badKteaSJImLSanz+s60hYkkDSeyuZvKwzSRLbixHZRsR3Ac/fOcDyHZb7MJGmPpVXZUvZQc82f//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
A group of five friends died in a wrong-way crash while returning to Arkansas from Wyoming. The group was visiting Jackson Hole Bible College and was scheduled to return to Sherwood. Among the five youngsters, two went to Sylvan Hills High School.
Authorities have identified the victims as Susana Prime (18), Andrea Prime (23), Ava Luplow (18), Salomon Correa (21), and Maggie Franco (20). According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the fatal crash took place on Sunday shortly before 7 pm local time on Interstate 80.
According to troopers, shortly before the deadly crash, they received alerts about a driver who was driving the wrong way. The vehicle crashed into another car and a commercial truck. A second truck tried to avoid crashing into the wrong-way vehicle, and, in the process, ended up colliding with the Ford F-150 in which the friends were traveling.
A deadly crash killed a group of five friends who were returning from Wyoming to Arkansas
The group of five was returning to Sherwood after spending a week in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. They became victims of a deadly crash after a wrong-way driver caused a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 80. Troopers mentioned that they received alerts about a wrong-way driver who was driving a Dodge Ram 3500.
Police have identified the victims as high school students Susana Prime and Ava Luplow. The other victims were recent graduates and have been identified as Susana’s sister Andrea, Maggie Franco, and Salomon Correa. Several other drivers sustained injuries in the multi-vehicle crash and were rushed to nearby hospitals. The same has been confirmed by the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
Authorities arrested the driver of the Dodge; however, his identity is yet to be revealed. KATV reported that a candlelight vigil was held to honor the victims. Quint Scruggs, a Sylvan Hills High School alum, spoke about Susana and Ava. Quint stated,
“[They were] always joyful, I mean there was never a dull moment, always made you laugh.”
According to KARK-TV, the two 18-year-old girls and Maggie Franco worked at a bakery in Sherwood called Humble Crumb. The bakery’s co-owner, Betsy Peters, said,
“They filled a huge role at Humble Crumb in so many ways.”
Humble Crumb also updated a statement on Facebook addressing the tragic Wyoming crash. It stated,
“Our lives are forever changed and the bakery will continually feel this void. Our small team lost two of our own, two of our gems, on Sunday. The news has broken our hearts and we are still trying to wrap our minds around this new reality.”
The Dodge driver was arrested and is alleged to have been impaired while driving his pickup truck
PEOPLE reported that a combined funeral service will be held on February 4, at the Sylvan Hills High School Performing Arts Center.
Sherwood Mayor Mary Jo Heyetownsell mentioned that the community needs to be strong during this time of loss. She said,
“Certainly we need to be ever vigilant in terms of their peers and their friends who are gonna be so impacted by this.”
The bakery where the girls worked further said,
“Ava and Suzy loved Jesus and they knew Jesus as their redeeming Savior. They wanted to serve him with their lives and they were trusting HIM for their salvation. They are now with HIM in glory and while we suffer from their loss, our hearts are also filled with hope.”
Andrea and Susana’s heartbroken father, Phil Prime, told the Cowboy State Daily,
“We could become angry and we could become bitter, but all those things destroy you. Those feelings don’t help you. They [the victims] would want their death to be for the lord’s honor and glory, not some vehicle to… promote hate.”
Phil described the group as “devout Christians.” The mother of another victim of the Wyoming crash described her as the “rock” and her brother’s “role model.” She further stated,
“We’re lost without you Ava. I just lay in your bed and cry. I’m trying to get you back home where you belong but knowing I’ll never see your beautiful face again just really breaks me.”
The families and friends of the victims who died in the Wyoming crash remember them and are grieving their tragic demise.
As has already been mentioned, authorities arrested the alleged wrong-way driver. They also claimed that the man was impaired while driving the pickup truck. After further investigation, police will reveal additional details and more charges can be filed against the suspect as well.
