Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2004 | 9:50 a.m.
College van rammed; two players killed
A tractor-trailer rig slammed into a van carrying members of the Navarro College team Monday night in Paris, Texas, killing two players and injuring the seven other people who were riding in the van.
The dead players were identified as Pah Sarr, a 21-year-old native of Gambia, and 18-year-old Jason Rashard Trier of Giddings, Texas
The van was making a U-turn on the team's return trip to Corsicana, Texas, after playing a game against Paris Junior College. It was struck broadside by the rig.
Justice of the Peace Ernie Sparks said the van was "busted to pieces."
"The ones who were in there, I don't know how they survived," said Sparks. "All the windows were gone."
Newspaper reports today said the van was carrying eight players and a graduate-assistant coach, who was driving.
Navarro College, a school of 750 students about 60 miles south of Dallas, awaited word this morning on the others involved in the crash. According to a spokesman at Paris Regional Medical Center, one person remained in critical condition, four were in serious condition and two in fair condition. The critically injured player, identified as freshman Chris Gonzalez from Chicago, was airlifted to Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
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