Kids Hurt When Van Crashes Into Tree
A steep mountain road was the site of a van crash around 8:15 a.m. Tuesday. Two adults and eight teens were aboard the van when it got stuck in a ditch before hitting a tree.
The accident happened along Hondo Avenue in Green Mountain Falls. The van carried a driver and staff member, along with eight youngsters, from the local Axios Youth Community. The facility was known as Children’s Ark before a recent change in management. Axios runs a program for abused teens.
Dennis Fryer, the operations director for Axios, said all 10 people suffered only minor injuries and were treated and released from Memorial Hospital.
Fryer said the van first became stuck in a ditch on the opposite side of the steep dirt road and hit the tree after trying to get out of the ditch.
Diane Loyd lives on the property where the tree is.
“I heard this huge crash and saw my tree leaning,” said Loyd. “I saw all these little girls out in the street. (They were) yelling, screaming and crying. I called 911.”
Loyd said the tree is about 100 years old, and she hopes she can save it despite a large section of bark ripped away.
The Green Mountain Falls Marshal’s Office and Axios are investigating the accident.
