Page 14
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Two I.V. High students die in crash; three other young persons injured
Two young women, one
of them an 18-year-old June 5
graduate of Illinois Valley
High School and another a
16-year-old junior student at
the school, were pronounced
dead at the scene of a vehicle
rollover on Takilma Road on
Monday, June 11, said Jose-
phine County Sheriff’s Office
(JCSO).
Investigators believe that
the two who died were ejected
from the vehicle, which re-
sulted in their deaths.
Additionally, three other
young persons were injured,
two of them students at
IVHS. The other injured party
was identified as Shyan
Christine Ellis, 16, who was
said to be staying with Savan-
nah Pauline Bassett, 18, who
graduated June 5, and is one
of those who died.
The other fatality was
identified as Kiara Alexi
Faith Richardson, 16.
Besides Shyan Ellis,
those injured were identified
as Arial Ann Sinnwell, 18,
also a June 5 IVHS graduate;
and Lonnie Michael Behn,
16, a sophomore. He was the
driver of a four-door 2002
Isuzu Rodeo, reported JCSO.
Investigators, including
an Oregon State Police acci-
dent reconstruction team, “do
not believe at this time that
pastors were at the school
Tuesday, June 12. Students
were allowed to leave their
final exams, if they so chose,
to seek comfort.
A similar situation ex-
isted at Lorna Byrne Middle
School and Evergreen Ele-
mentary School. Kiara
Richardson, sources said, had
sisters at both schools, which
resulted in fellow students
being affected by grief.
It was not immediately
known if memorial or funeral
services would be held soon
for the two who died.
The three injured persons
were treated at Three Rivers
Community Hospital in
Grants Pass. American Medi-
cal Response (AMR) used
two ambulances to transport
the injured from the scene in
the 6800 block of Takilma
Road. It was not immediately
known how soon after treat-
ment the three were released
from the hospital.
Besides AMR, JCSO and
OSP, Illinois Valley Fire Dis-
trict (IVFD) responded with
several crews to assist at the
scene. Personnel were at the
location until close to 9 p.m.
following the wreck, reported
at 3:48 p.m.
JCSO said preliminary
indications are that Lonnie
Behn had picked up his four
(Photos by ‘I.V. News’)
drugs or alcoholic beverages
were factors in the crash.”
Officers are attempting to
verify which of those in the
vehicle were wearing safety
belts, said JCSO.
Investigators are asking
that anyone with information
“about this tragic event”
phone Det. Sgt. Ken Selig at
474-5152; or the JCSO Major
Crime Unit confidential tip
line at 474-5160.
Because of the deaths of
the two from IVHS, grief
counselors and community
passengers at IVHS and was
southbound on Takilma Road
traveling to an address on
Waldo Road.
JCSO added that he “lost
control of his vehicle when he
left the roadway. Behn’s ve-
hicle came back onto the
paved road, slid across the
opposite lane and rolled.”
IVFD said it appeared
that the vehicle had struck an
embankment and rolled more
than once. The three injured
persons were up and walking
about when emergency re-
sponders arrived, IVFD said.
The crash scene is a short
distance past a curve approxi-
mately 2 miles north of Four
Corners, which is the inter-
section of Takilma and
Waldo roads, where Happy
Camp Road begins.
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SECOND FRIDAY ART WALK on June 8 attracted
many spectators to Downtown Cave Junction.
(Clockwise from top left) Sculpture by Scott Carey at
Changes Art Gallery; Pearlene Gavlik with her jewelry
at Special Productions; a detail from a Debbie Dawson
painting at Upstairs Art Gallery above the state liquor
store; a detail of a poster by Miranda Stiles at the
county building; photographs by Sue Lily at Changes
focusing on the nuts and bolts of bridge construction;
Linda Naydol with her botanical illustrations at Jeffer-
son State Financial Group; an example of button work
by Miguelo Kime; sculpture by Illinois Valley High
School students at Pizza Pit; and at an Artists Way,
Lorna Byrne Middle School student woodworking art
with (from left) Roger Hults, Winona Gallegos, Bryan
Biggs and Kara Tyler. (Photos by ‘I.V. News’)