2 children killed in trucking accident

Two teenage schoolmates in a car were killed and the driver badly hurt after their vehicle struck a large grain truck that had the right of way in a western Minnesota intersection, authorities said Thursday.

The crash occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday about 3 miles south of Benson, killing passengers Cody DeVaan, 16, of rural DeGraff, and Benjamin Mast, 15, of Benson, said Swift County Chief Deputy John Holtz.

The driver, Justin Moist, 17, of rural Benson, was seriously injured and taken to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale.

DeVaan and Mast were sophomores at Benson High School. Moist is a junior.

“The tragic automobile crash … left all of us at Benson Public Schools shocked and saddened,” Superintendent Lee Westrum said, adding that all after-school activities were called off Thursday.

“We opened the school up right away [Wednesday],” Westrum said. A crisis team of ministers, counselors and teachers was assembled, and several dozen kids “came up here and gathered.”

Westrum said DeVaan played on the sophomore football team and was described by his coach as “respectful, polite, a hard worker.”

Mast, a lover of hunting and fishing, was remembered by one of his teachers as having a “great sense of humor” who enjoyed kidding around with the staff and other students, the superintendent said.

Westrum said that Moist is “responsive and recovering. Hopefully, he’ll be out in a week.”

According to Holtz:

Moist’s car was heading north on 30th Avenue SE., and approached a yield sign at the intersection with 40th Street SE. The truck had no sign or signal to observe. The car struck the westbound truck near its left rear wheel.

DeVaan and Mast were thrown from the car. Moist was buckled in and remained behind the wheel after the crash. While Holtz said he didn’t know whether DeVaan and Mast were wearing their seat belts, he added that its rare for occupants to be thrown from a vehicle while buckled up.