Sister Talks About Teens Killed in Triple Fatal Crash
May 4, 2019, 9:00 PM | Updated: May 6, 2019, 5:21 am
SANPETE COUNTY, Utah – A tragic accident in Sanpete County Friday night claimed the lives of three teenagers.
The Utah Highway Patrol says around 9:20 p.m. a white sedan was heading west on Power Plant Road, a country road east of Mt. Pleasant.
According to troopers, the driver of the sedan, a 16-year-old girl, came over the top of a hill and ran into the back of a flatbed truck, which was traveling at a slower rate of speed in front of the sedan. Troopers say the driver tried to stop but was going too fast. The car hit the truck and burst into flames.
Ryan Lyman, 18, of Ephraim, was in the passenger seat. He was killed on impact.
Kodi Wheeler, 16, and Julie Oldroyd, 16, both from Fountain Green, were in the back seat and were also killed.
The driver of the sedan was taken to the hospital with a head injury and has been released.
The two occupants of the truck, a 16-year-old driver and a 14-year-old passenger, were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and were also released.
KSL spoke with Kodi Wheeler’s sister, Emily Wheeler. She says she’s still in shock.
“I still feel like it’s not necessarily real,” said Emily. “Kodi has been by my side my entire life and to have her not by my side feels like she’s still just gone hanging out with her friends. Like she’s coming home.”
All three of the teenage girls involved in the accident were juniors at North Sanpete High School.
Emily says Kodi and Julie were best friends and that they were inseparable.
“She could make anybody smile,” said Emily. “She could make anybody laugh and Julie was exactly the same and that’s what made them best friends.”
For the small community where everyone knows each other, the teens’ deaths will take time to process. Grief counselors are expected at the high school on Monday.
As for Emily, she takes comfort in knowing that her big sister is still with her best friend, just like always.
“They were so perfectly in sync,” Emily said. “I think that’s something we can all look for in a friendship is what Kodi and Julie had.”
