Hiawatha Grad Escapes Injury in Wreck that Kills College Teammate
Ike Larson
News Editor
A Hiawatha High School graduate escaped injury Friday in a car accident that killed his collegiate wrestling teammate.
Kelly Johansen, 19, was riding in the York College (Neb.) wrestling team van when it overturned on Interstate 29, en route to a competition in Orange City, Iowa.
The accident killed Brock Pigorsch, 21, of Herington. But Johansen managed to escape unharmed, though he said his arms and knees were sore.
Johansen said the van rolled twice and landed on the driver's side. He was sitting next to Pigorsch, he said.
"I could see the accident coming, but I didn't have time to brace myself," Johansen said. "I have no idea what I hit or where I ended up. I could just hear everybody yelling."
"When the van stopped, we were all scrambling to get out. I looked around before crawling out to make sure everyone was accounted for ... I could see Brock's feet but the rest of him was laying outside under the van. I hollered at the guys when we got out and we lifted the van off of him."
Johansen said Pigorsch was never coherent as they lifted the van off his body. They didn't move him, Johansen said, just covered him with blankets until the emergency helicopter arrived.
A 2007 graduate of Hiawatha High, Johansen was a standout wrestler for the Red Hawks, placing sixth in state his senior year. He wrestles at 184 pounds for York College. He is the son of Kelly and Candy Johansen of Hiawatha.
Wayne Baker, president of York College, told the media Friday that an assistant coach was driving the van and they were pulling a team trailer. He said the accident was caused by several circumstances: a car traveling in front of the York van braked suddenly and the van went in the other lane to avoid the car. Meanwhile, a second car had stopped alongside the road and pedestrian was out in the far lane trying to retrieve an animal. He said the York van tried to miss the pedestrian and veered into the median, which was snow packed.
The weight shift due to the 12 passengers and trailer load caused the van to overturn, Baker said. The other members of the team and the two coaches escaped with minor injuries.
The accident happened on I-29, about 10 miles south of Onawa, Iowa.
"Words cannot express the overwhelming sadness that has made its way on our campus," Baker said. "It is very difficult to lose one of your own in such a way and our hearts break for Brock's family and close friends. I am confident that many are in diligent prayer, and I trust that God's peace will be given in this tragic loss.
Candy Johansen said her son got "lots of hugs" from family when they visited him Saturday.
"I've always prayed that God would assign an angel to each one of my boys," she said. "I believe an angel was watching over him."
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