Three University of Wyoming swimming and diving team members were killed in a car crash Thursday afternoon near the Wyoming-Colorado border, the school said.
Sophomore Charlie Clark, 19, of Las Vegas; junior Luke Slabber, 21, of Cape Town, South Africa; and freshman Carson Muir, 18, of Birmingham, Alabama, died in the crash at the intersection of U.S. Highway 287 and Red Mountain Road between Livermore and Virginia Dale, Colorado, the university said in a news release.
“Initial indications are that the driver swerved, and the vehicle went off the road, rolling multiple times. The accident is under investigation,” the release said.
The Colorado State Patrol said Friday that no factors had been ruled out as the case for the crash, including but not limited to speed, impairment, or other distractions.
Two other members of the men’s swimming and diving team suffered non-life-threatening injuries and have been released from the hospital, the Colorado State Patrol said. One of the survivors was driving the vehicle. when it crashed just before 2:45 p.m.
The Toyota RAV4 with five people went off the left shoulder of a southbound lane and rolled multiple times, ejecting two people, according to CSP, which is investigating the accident.
Though the victims were all members of the university’s swimming team, they were not believed to be traveling for an official school function.
“We are heartsick at the news of this terrible tragedy for our university, our state, our student-athlete community and, most importantly, the families and friends of these young people,” UW President Ed Seidel said in a statement. “Words are insufficient to express our sadness.”
UW Director of Athletics Tom Burman said: “My thoughts and prayers are with our swimming and diving student-athletes, coaches, families and friends.”
“It is difficult to lose members of our University of Wyoming family, and we mourn the loss of these student-athletes. We have counseling services available to our student-athletes and coaches in our time of need,” he added.
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon said he and his wife were “mourning this tragic loss.”
“We ask you to keep their families, friends and loved ones close to your hearts during this difficult time,” he said.