RILEY, Ind. – Two Indiana State University football players were among the three students who died early Sunday morning in a single-vehicle crash that left two others injured, university officials confirmed.
Update 2:10 p.m. EDT Aug. 22: Authorities identified the students killed as Jayden Musili, 19, Christian Eubanks, 18, and Caleb VanHooser, 19. Eubanks and VanHooser were freshmen who played on the Indiana State football team, while Musili was a sophomore who had started attending the university this year, school officials said.
“There are no words to express the depth of our sadness about this tragedy,” ISU President Dr. Deborah J. Curtis said Monday in a statement. “We send our condolences to the family and friends of the students involved. The Sycamore family is mourning and will support each other in this time of grief.”
Student-athletes gathered Sunday at Memorial Stadium to remember the victims of the crash, officials said. The Indiana State football team did not practice Monday.
“It is a terrible day for Indiana State football and a devastating loss for both the Eubanks and the VanHooser families,” head football coach Curt Mallory said in a statement. “Both young men were quality individuals who were loved and respected by their teammates and this staff. To say they will be missed is an understatement. Our continued prayers and support are with their families, friends, and teammates during this difficult time.”
Musili became an ISU student through Pathway to Blue, a bridge program between Ivy Tech Community College and ISU, university officials said. The program’s director, Sade Walker, remembered Musili as a hard worker who had a positive attitude.
“His smile was infectious,” she said in a statement. “He worked very hard to navigate college. He was very excited about his classes and becoming a Sycamore.”
Original report: According to officials with the Terre Haute Police Department, five people, all of whom are believed to be ISU students, were in the vehicle, WXIN-TV reported.
ISU President Dr. Deborah J. Curtis called the crash a “terrible tragedy” in a prepared statement.
“As we are waiting on additional details from authorities investigating this accident, our hearts go out to the families and friends of the students involved,” she added.
“Several” football players were believed to be in the vehicle, the Tribune-Star in Terre Haute reported.
According to the accident report released by the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle involved left the road and struck a tree, and first responders found the vehicle engulfed in flames. The crash occurred at around 1:34 a.m. on State Road 46 and Main Street in Riley, Indiana, WTHR reported.
Although rescuers successfully removed two occupants from the burning vehicle, the driver and two other occupants were pronounced dead on the scene, the Tribune-Star reported.
Indiana State Football tweeted condolences on behalf of the team.
