Golf tourney planned in memory of teen killed in crash

By Frances Vanderploeg

Monday, Jan. 26, 2009 | 12:29 p.m.

Family members of a Coronado High School sophomore student killed Nov. 14 will be marking the three-month anniversary of her death with a memorial golf tournament.

Olivia Brandise Hyten was killed after a roll-over car crash on Grand Hills Drive in Seven Hills when the truck she was riding in lost control. The driver of that vehicle, David Jensen, 16, recently pleaded guilty in Juvenile Court to reckless driving resulting in the girl’s death. He was driving 62 mph in a 25 mph zone, it was revealed in court Jan. 21.

Valentine’s Day was a special holiday to Brandise Hyten and her mother, Teresa Brandise, said Brandise Hyten’s uncle, Seth Glasco.

A golfer, Glasco set up the tournament with room for up to 120 golfers to attend. Golfers will be accepted until the event begins.

The money would initially go towards helping Hyten’s family pay for general expenses resulting from her death. The family would like for it to become an annual event, Glasco said, with funding going into the Olivia Hyten Memorial Fund. In the future, those funds would go toward helping other families who have prematurely lost a child.

Glasco is working on getting federal nonprofit status for the memorial fund, he said, though it does not have it yet.

The tournament will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 14, beginning with a trick shot show by Glasco. They are charging $200 per player, or $750 per foursome. Businesses can also sponsor a hole for $250, and non-golfers can travel with the golfers for $40 each, which includes golf cart rental, raffle tickets and dinner.

For more information contact Glasco at (623) 249-9041 or e-mail [email protected].

Frances Vanderploeg can be reached at 990-2660 or [email protected].