SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) –The University of Sioux Falls has confirmed that the person killed at a traffic accident at 49th Street and Kiwanis Avenue early Sunday morning was a student.
Junior Courtney Beane of Oakland, California, was pronounced dead at the scene. Beane had just been announced as part of the 2018 recruiting class in February. His passenger, junior Jared Brito of Covina, California, is in a Sioux Falls hospital with severe but non-life threatening injuries.
Police were called at 2:30 a.m. to the area of 49th Street and Kiwanis Avenue by Brito, who had been thrown from the vehicle.
He was disoriented and didn't know his exact location, police said in a news release. Police were eventually able to determine he was under the 49th Street bridge that crosses the Big Sioux River near Kiwanis Avenue.
Police say the vehicle was heading east on 49th Street when it lost control and struck a pedestrian guard rail on the northwest end of the bridge. The vehicle then traveled down an embankment of a flood control levee and came to rest near the bike path under the 49th Street bridge. Police say speed was a factor.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is still ongoing. More information will be released at Monday's police briefing.
Beane was a junior business administration major. Brito is a junior biology major.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Courtney's and Jared's families," USF Head Football Coach Jon Anderson said in a press release from the school. "I extend my sincerest condolences to Courtney's family. We are truly heartbroken, and our team is distraught about Courtney and praying for Jared's recovery. Courtney was not with us long, but he very quickly found his place in this program. Our team is a family, and we will be here for each other during this difficult time."
A grief counselor will be made available at the school.