A 25-year-old driver, Isaiah Moreno, was responsible for a tragic crash near Yellowstone National Park, where his pickup struck a tour van, resulting in the deaths of seven people, including himself. Police have confirmed that Moreno’s blood alcohol level was significantly above the legal limit for driving, with a recorded level of 0.20%, more than twice the allowed .08% threshold. The incident transpired in eastern Idaho on U.S. Highway 20, where the collision occurred near Henrys Lake, approximately 16 miles west of Yellowstone in Wyoming. This location is part of a major tourist route that sees a high volume of visitors, especially during the spring when the park is still accessible before the full summer season opens.
The crash, which happened on May 1, has prompted immediate calls for greater awareness regarding the risks of driving under the influence. Police Captain Chris Weadick emphasized the gravity of the incident, stating, ‘This tragedy should be a wake-up call,’ underscoring the consequences of such reckless behavior on the road. Video footage from the scene shows a red truck on the wrong side of the road, its front crushed and on fire, with the tour van also engulfed in flames. Survivors were being attended to on the side of the road, with a helicopter arriving to assist in the aftermath. The delay in responding to the crash was compounded by the remote location, with Roger Merrill, 60, recounting how the delay in first responder arrival was notably long due to the area’s accessibility challenges.
Among the victims in the tour van were individuals from China, Italy, and California, highlighting the international impact of the incident. The victims were identified as Yu Zhang, 30, of Eastvale, California; Ivana Wen, 2, of Milan, Italy; Jianping Li, 71, of Guangxi, China; Xiaoming Jiang, 66, of Guilin, China; Li Nie, 64, of Arcadia, California; and Aifeng Wan, 53, also of Arcadia, California. The crash site, located at milepost 399, is part of a route between Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, which remains open during the spring season before the main north-south route is cleared for the summer tourist influx. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with driving under the influence and the critical importance of road safety protocols and awareness campaigns to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.