Cops: N.D. Students Likely Didn't See Pond

Water Hidden Behind Tall Grass, Easy to Miss if Unfamiliar with Area, Says Sheriff

(AP)  Three college softball players found dead after their sport utility vehicle went into a pond on a North Dakota farm during a stargazing trip likely drove straight into the water in the dark, authorities said Wednesday.

Stark County Sheriff Clarence Tuhy said the women's SUV was found resting on its wheels Tuesday in about 10 feet of water hidden by tall grass, with the doors and windows closed.

"When you're not familiar with an area like that it would have been very easy to drive into," Tuhy said.

The sheriff said the Dickinson State University students were on private property. He stopped short of saying they were trespassing.

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 after signals from their last desperate phone calls late Sunday helped lead authorities to the farm.

Police Lt. Rod Banyai said authorities do not expect autopsy results for a week or two. The autopsies will help determine the exact cause of death and whether the women were under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Authorities have said there is no indication they were. The North Dakota Highway Patrol also will examine the 1997 Jeep Cherokee to determine if the vehicle malfunctioned, Banyai said.

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 the calls, which authorities were able to track to cell phone towers, were critical in leading searchers to the vehicle. He 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.

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

"It is times like this that we realize our sense of humanity and our sense of connection," he said.

Family members of the women planned to visit the site on Wednesday northwest of Dickinson, a city of 16,000 people that is about 100 miles west of Bismarck.

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

Neufeld's mother, Bev Neufeld, said her family was trying to be strong.

"That's what she would want, and we have so much support here (on campus)," she said. "We know how much Ashley loved this school. I would just like everybody to remember Ashley's smile and personality."

The 2,700-student university listed Gemar as a senior business major who played third base on the softball team. Neufeld was a senior outfielder working on a psychology degree, and Williamson, a junior, was a pitcher majoring in psychology with a minor in coaching.

"I'm sure it will be difficult for quite a while. But we know that they'll be there with us. They would want us to play," softball teammate Jessica Huseby of Hamilton, Mont., said after the prayer service. "We just know they're going to be the 10th, 11th and 12th players on the field with us."

[edgy44]

When they say drugs will kill you, they don't really mean the drugs themselves. It's the result of operating machinery while under the influence of drugs. I can tell you, that if you subtract drugs from the equation, people will not get themselves into situations which result in their death, maiming, or injury.

[erasmus111]

Don't cars usually float for a few minutes before they sink?

[armyoftwelve]

A terrible tragedy. It is still hard to see how they missed driving into a pond or didn't realize that they hit water before they got too deep.

[winslowe1]

According to the article above, they didn't miss driving into the pond.

[galbraith45]

most likely drinking and doing meth..Dickinson State University has the highest rate of meth use than any college in the country

[legacyABQ2]

Poor babies

Sorry to hear this.. Their parents must be devastated

[tpeks40]

These poor girls had the thought to call for help, not to 911, but to their friends? Ok, they panicked, but what about trying to live by getting out of the damn vehicle? Unfortunately, its Darwinism at it's finest.

[erasmus111]

I do not know how they could not see the pond. Also, I saw a picture and it showed a worn path in which cars drive and then a ways away from it, it slightly sloped toward the water.It was grass from the path to the water, I think. If you had your headlights on, and you weren't drunk, you couldn't not know that you were off the path.

[rondivoo]

They were trespassing. No one has to SAY this... we know they were because they were on someone else's property without permission. If they had asked permission the property owners would have known where they were when they were reported missing. It was a horrible accident, but all people should realize it is wrong and dangerous to trespass on another's property. This is something that far too many people take too lightly... not considering it wrong to go onto another's property. They didn't know the lay of the land or what was there and it was dark, so the women made a huge mistake by going there.

[mwdelta]

Mythbusters tested this a few years ago... It was scary how difficult it is to escape from a submerged vehicle. They could not break the window with keys, a phone or by kicking with steel-toed boots. The door could not be opened until the car was filled with water and by then the guy had run out of air and had to use his emergency air supply.

[tramplers]

Actually I saw this episode recently. Everything you said is true. One other thing is they repeated it AFTER he knew what to expect. He calmly waited and breathed while the car filled up. 60-90 seconds after it filled he opened the door and got to the surface. Once he knew he couldn't escape until the pressure equalized, he just held his breath. He even said it wasn't that hard the second time. Of course it's alot easier having experienced it once. EVERYONE should have that tool that will break the glass. I am not sure but I would expect it to cost $20 or less and could save your life.

My condolences to the families. This looks like a tragic accident but one that has been repeated way too many times.

[John_Merritt]

Didn't see pond? That is not even plausible. You are talking about three girls who are physically fit, and could probably clean most guys clock in many things. They would have had to drive off a large dock going 30-40 mph with the doors locked and windows up, the electrical system short and they couldn't get out. However two of them at least would/could have kicked out a window and at least one might have escaped. But for all three (3) to be inside the car and roll down into a pond just doesn't wash. How many other tire tracks are in or around the pond? They needed to be incapacitated for them all to drown in a car. Something smells?

[tramplers]

You CANNOT break the windows if the water level is already up to them. There is so much pressure on the outside that you can't open them either. You either have to have the tool that will break them (a good idea for all cars to have) or wait for the car to fill with water and the pressure to equalize. As long as you can hold your breath for 60-90 seconds you should be OK. The problem is 99% of people would panic and use up their oxygen trying to escape too soon.

[erasmus111]

by BryanW217 November 4, 2009 4:02 PM EST
I think the idea is to open the door before the car sinks all the way.

Sadly, I think in many cases people panic and don't make the best decisions how to solve this.


Yes, I think you are supposed to roll down the window or open the door before it sinks.

Personally, I think they were drinking or smoking. Reaction time is a lot longer.