CHS senior SHAWN HECKATHORN died today
Wednesday, September 23, 2009 1 commentsShawn was a friend of my son's.
Caldwell police are investigating a fatal traffic crash in which a pickup hit a
school bus in a head-on collision around 7:40 a.m. Wednesday on South Indiana Avenue, just south of Ustick Road.
The 17-year-old driver of the GMC pickup — Shawn Heckathorn, a senior at Caldwell High School — was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to Idaho State and Caldwell police reports.
Caldwell Police Chief Chris Allgood said none of the approximately 40 kids on the school bus — students of the Thomas Jefferson Charter School, ranging from kindergartners to high school students — nor the bus driver were hurt in the crash.
This is what happened, according to Idaho State Police officials:
A school bus from the Valley View School District, driven by 28-year-old Chandra Wilhite of Nampa, was traveling northbound on Indiana Ave, south of East Ustick Road when a 1998 GMC Sonoma pickup, traveling southbound, crossed the center line and went into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with the school bus.
Heckathorn, the driver of the pickup, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash from the force of the impact. Heckathorn was wearing his seat belt and the airbag in his truck deployed, according to ISP reports.
The Thomas Jefferson Charter School students in the bus were taken to school from the crash scene by another bus, according to ISP reports.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. The speed limit at the accident site is 50 mph. It does not appear that excessive speed was a factor in the accident, Idaho State Police Capt. Steve Richardson said.
In general terms, investigators will check to see if cell phone use or texting could have been a factor in the crash, Richardson said, but officers have not made any specific determinations about those issues yet in connection with Wednesday's accident.
Caldwell High officials are bringing in counselors from all over the district to the high school today to assist any students in need.
Heckathorn was a long-time Caldwell resident and was a member of the Caldwell High wrestling team.
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Who are Shawn Heckathorn's parents. I would love to send a card.