AETNA TOWNSHIP, Michigan — Two young men from Park Rapids, Minnesota, were among three people killed in a head-on crash here late Tuesday night, May 3, according to news reports and the Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office.
Dwayne Johnson and Kian Scott died in the collision, which occurred when a wrong-way driver smashed into the vehicle they were in as it traveled north on U.S. Highway 131.
A GoFundMe account has raised more than $21,000 as of Saturday morning, May 7, to help with the costs of bringing Johnson and Scott back to Park Rapids and to help with funeral expenses.
According to a Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office report posted on Facebook:
At 10:44 p.m Tuesday, sheriff’s deputies were advised of a wrong-way driver on U.S. Highway 131 at mile marker 125 in Aetna Township.
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Almost immediately, deputies received an update and advised of a head-on collision at the same location, with one of the vehicles fully engulfed in flames.
When deputies arrived at the scene, several witnesses said a vehicle was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes and never slowed down before hitting a vehicle from Minnesota.
Media outlets, citing information released later by the sheriff’s department, identified those involved in the crash.
Charlotte Vine-Driver, of Lansing, Michigan, had been driving the wrong way on US-131 when she crashed head-on into the northbound vehicle in which Johnson and Scott were traveling.
The crash remains under investigation.
There was an outpouring of grief on Facebook over the deaths of Johnson and Scott.
“It is with deep sadness that I need to inform you of the loss of two members of our wrestling family. Kian Scott and Dwayne Johnson, brothers of Dandre Johnson, were killed in a wrong-way driver head on-crash Tuesday evening,” a Facebook page for Park Rapids Wrestling announced Thursday, May 5. “The boys were on their way to Michigan for work. Please pray for dad Dwayne and mom Jen, brothers Dandre and Malik and Randall.”
Logan Veo, a Park Rapids Senior High School alumnus, wrote, “Two young men I was lucky enough to call my friends have tragically lost their lives.
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“My heart goes out to their entire family & all of their friends. If you were ever fortunate enough to share a classroom, practice field, or just have a conversation with Dwayne or Kian you could easily understand why they will be so greatly missed,” he wrote. “Please consider donating to help their family during this time. Fly High Dwayne & Kian gone but never forgotten.”
