November 4, 2009 2:00 PM

North Dakota Softball Players: Cell Phone Calls Helped Find Them, But Not Soon Enough

By
Edecio Martinez
Topics
Daily Blotter
(CBS/Lenny Gemar/Dickinson Press)
Photo: Ashley Neufeld, Kyrstin Gemar and Afton Williamson.

DICKINSON, N.D. (CBS/AP) The three Dickinson State University North Dakota softball players believed to have been on a stargazing trip were found dead inside a Jeep after signals from their last desperate phone calls helped lead authorities to a rural farm pond.

PICTURES: Missing Softball Girls

Stark County Sheriff Clarence Tuhy said the calls, which authorities were able to track to cell phone towers, were critical in leading searchers to the vehicle.

The students were believed to be in the Jeep when two of their friends received telephone calls late Sunday before the lines quickly went dead. Police described the first as a "very scratchy" call for help in which one of the students said they were near water.

Tuhy said it wasn't clear if emergency crews might have been able to reach the women had they called 911 instead of their friends.

"There could have probably been some location formed out of that (Sunday night) but if it would have been timely enough, I don't know," he said.

No foul play is suspected in the deaths of Kyrstin Gemar, 22, of San Diego; Afton Williamson, 20, of Lake Elsinore, Calif.; and Ashley Neufeld, 21, of Brandon, Manitoba. The bodies of the women and Neufeld's dog were found inside the SUV.

"It's the worst day of my life," Gemar's father, Lenny, said Tuesday night after a prayer service on campus.

University President Richard McCallum said classes were canceled Wednesday and a memorial service was being planned on campus Thursday.

PICTURES: Missing Softball Girls

MORE ON CRIMESIDER
November 4, 2009 - Dickinson State University Students Found Dead in Jeep Pulled from Pond
November 3, 2009 - Dickinson State University Students Still Missing: Lake Search Doesn't Find Vanished Girls
November 3, 2009 - Dickinson State University Students Vanish After Phone Call


Add a Comment
by cbarbesh November 5, 2009 2:12 AM EST
My condolences to the families. This was a senseless tragedy.
Fortunately, technology made their recovery possible. Would anyone have found the women if it weren't for their cell phones? On the other hand, were the women following directions on their GPS? That was my first thought when I heard they were on rural roads out in the hills during the dark. I don't suspect foul play. What are your thoughts?
Reply to this comment
by tramplers November 4, 2009 3:53 PM EST
First, my condolences to the families. This looks like a tragic accident.

That being said, eveyone should have one of those devices that will break windows inside their cars. Mythbusters did an episode on escaping from a car underwater. Once the water reaches the windows you can NOT break the windows with your hands or feet or roll the windows down for about 90 seconds. The pressure being exerted on the windows from the water is too great. If you don't get your windows down immediately, you have to wait until the car fills up with water and the pressure equalizes or break the windows with a device specifically made to break them.

If you don't know what to do, you will panic and drown. Unfortunately this is probably what happened. Be prepared, spend a few dollars and buy the item or at least know what will happen and instead of exerting all of your energy and oxygen in a futile attempt to escape, wait for the car to fill up and then open the windows or doors and escape.
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