Pinehurst man killed in I-90 crash
KELLOGG – A recent Wallace Jr./Sr. High School graduate was killed Saturday night as the result of a vehicle crash on Interstate-90.
Idaho State Police reports that on May 25 at approximately 9:32 p.m., Ryan R. Rodriguez, 18, of Wallace was driving a red 2001 Toyota Echo on westbound I-90 near Kellogg’s Exit 51 when he lost control of the vehicle, ran off the right shoulder and struck a guardrail.
In addition to Rodriguez, the vehicle’s occupants included Colten A. Holzheu, 18, of Pinehurst, Austin S. Mcintosh, 18, of Spokane, Washington, and Eric A. Hull, 20, of Smelterville.
Due to the sudden nature of the collision, Holzheu, who was in the right rear seat, was ejected from the vehicle and received serious head injuries.
Emergency crews from Shoshone County Fire District No. 2 responded to the incident and transported Holzheu to Shoshone Medical Center in Kellogg where he succumbed to his injuries.
Rodriguez and the other two passengers were not injured. It is believed that Holzheu was the only one in the vehicle not wearing a seatbelt.
Upon further investigation and interviews with the occupants, it is suspected that Rodriguez may have crashed after being distracted by one or more of the passengers- who were lighting off fireworks from the moving vehicle.
The group had reportedly just left a graduation party in the Wallace area, but alcohol or drugs were not factors in the incident.
Due to the crash, both lanes of traffic were blocked for an extended time and traffic was forced to be rerouted through Big Creek to Silver Valley Road.
ISP plans to submit their reports of the incident to the Shoshone County Prosecutor for review. It is unknown as of Monday, May 27 if criminal charges will be filled against any of the vehicle’s occupants.
Holzheu was a WHS football player and had just graduated the day before the crash.
A candlelight vigil will be held in honor of Holzheu on the High School’s front lawn on Tuesday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m.