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Four Victims Still Hospitalized After Fatal Quarry Crash
Driver Killed When Vehicle Plunged 70 Feet
UPDATED: 1:10 pm CDT July 6,
2007
TOWN OF SPRINGFIELD, Wis. -- Four people remain hospitalized Friday at University of Wisconsin Hospital after the truck that they were riding in plunged about 70 feet into a local quarry late Wednesday night.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe four were part of a group of six who gathered in the Yahara Materials quarry in the Town of Springfield, located east of Highway 12 near the Parmenter Street Exit. The group was lighting and watching fireworks to mark the July Fourth holiday, according to Dane County investigators.One of the other victims is now out of the hospital, but the truck's driver was killed in the crash. He was identified on Thursday as Tyler Burcalow, 22, and was pronounced died at the scene.Authorities said that Burcalow worked at the quarry, which is owned by his father.Dane County authorities identified the passengers as Colman Y. Dockter, 22, of Middleton; Aric J. Hinrichs, 22, of Middleton; Brandy Bunnell, 22, of Madison; John C. Ogden, 21, of Cross Plains; and Uriy S. Kistanov, 20, of Madison. Officials said on Thursday that Dockter was in critical condition, Hinrichs was in serious condition and Bunnell, Ogden and Kistanov were in fair condition.One of the survivors was able to get out of the truck and call for help. Although the cell phone battery died, dispatchers were able to pinpoint the location of the remote crash scene through GPS technology, authorities said.Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney credited global positioning system (GPS) technology with helping authorities locate the crash scene."Without the cell phone and without that young man being able to get out of the vehicle, it would have been a very unfortunate situation," he said. "And probably all six would have been found this morning by employees as they arrived at work."He also said that it was fortunate for the survivors that they were riding in a full-size pickup truck and that if they were in a smaller vehicle, more of them would have likely been killed.Mahoney said that alcohol was found at the scene, but that he doesn’t think it played a large role in the incident.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe four were part of a group of six who gathered in the Yahara Materials quarry in the Town of Springfield, located east of Highway 12 near the Parmenter Street Exit. The group was lighting and watching fireworks to mark the July Fourth holiday, according to Dane County investigators.One of the other victims is now out of the hospital, but the truck's driver was killed in the crash. He was identified on Thursday as Tyler Burcalow, 22, and was pronounced died at the scene.Authorities said that Burcalow worked at the quarry, which is owned by his father.Dane County authorities identified the passengers as Colman Y. Dockter, 22, of Middleton; Aric J. Hinrichs, 22, of Middleton; Brandy Bunnell, 22, of Madison; John C. Ogden, 21, of Cross Plains; and Uriy S. Kistanov, 20, of Madison. Officials said on Thursday that Dockter was in critical condition, Hinrichs was in serious condition and Bunnell, Ogden and Kistanov were in fair condition.One of the survivors was able to get out of the truck and call for help. Although the cell phone battery died, dispatchers were able to pinpoint the location of the remote crash scene through GPS technology, authorities said.Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney credited global positioning system (GPS) technology with helping authorities locate the crash scene."Without the cell phone and without that young man being able to get out of the vehicle, it would have been a very unfortunate situation," he said. "And probably all six would have been found this morning by employees as they arrived at work."He also said that it was fortunate for the survivors that they were riding in a full-size pickup truck and that if they were in a smaller vehicle, more of them would have likely been killed.Mahoney said that alcohol was found at the scene, but that he doesn’t think it played a large role in the incident.
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Copyright 2007 by Channel 3000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
