LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — Three members of the University of Wyoming swimming and diving team who were killed in a single-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon in northern Colorado have been identified.
The University of Wyoming said Friday those killed in the crash were Charlie Clark, 19, a sophomore on the men's team; Carson Muir, 18, a freshman on the women's team, and Luke Slabber, 21, a junior on the men's team.
The university said that their families have been notified.
Colorado State Patrol (CSP) said the crash happened just before 2:45 p.m. Thursday, about 10 miles south of the Wyoming-Colorado border in Larimer County.
CSP said a Toyota RAV4 carrying five people was traveling south on U.S. 287 when it went off the left shoulder and rolled multiple times. The initial investigation showed that the driver of a vehicle in front of the RAV4 slowed, possibly to turn left, and the driver of the RAV4 swerved and went off the road.
In addition to the three killed, two others were injured. Those two survivors, one of whom was the driver, have been released from the hospital, CSP said on Friday.
No factors have been ruled out in the crash, including speed, impairment or other distractions, CSP said.
The students were not believed to be traveling for an official school function.
"Jennie and I join the entire university community and all of Wyoming in mourning this tragic loss, and we ask you to keep their families, friends and loved ones close to your hearts during this difficult time," said Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.
"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," University of Wyoming President Ed Seidel said. "Words are insufficient to express our sadness."
"My thoughts and prayers are with our swimming and diving student-athletes, coaches, families and friends," University of Wyoming Director of Athletics Tom Burman said. "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."
“I think everyone is just like trying to accept it at this point,” said Hogan Tystad, a freshman at the University of Wyoming.
Tystad lived on the same floor as Carson. He said he didn’t know the students very well, but said you didn’t have to, to know they were good people.
“It’s just a really terrible thing to see,” Tystad said. “It’s like very unfortunate, like they were good people, and like even though I didn’t know them, everyone knew they were good people. And like, they were a big part of University of Wyoming.”
The University of Wyoming associate vice president for communications and marketing, Chad Baldwin, said Friday was a somber day on campus.
“Great sadness, people, you know, young people at that, kind of at the bloom of their lives to be lost like that with so much potential, so much life, it’s very, very hard,” Baldwin said. “But this is the time you just have to weather the storm and get through it.”
Thursday’s deadly crash does not mark the first time this has happened for University of Wyoming students. Baldwin said Thursday's deadly crash brings back memories.
“We lost eight of our cross country runners in that crash,” Baldwin said. “But we have lost other students on Highway 287. Just a few years ago, three of our students died in a two-vehicle crash there, and there have been others.”
The university's athletics department said counseling services will be available to student-athletes and coaches.
Other Wyoming students in need of support are encouraged to contact the University Counseling Center at 307-766-2187 or visit in person. Students can also call an after-hours crisis counselor at 307-766-8989.
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