JOSHUA WOLFSON Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 12:00 am
The Wyoming Highway Patrol believes speed and drug use played a role in a Tuesday morning crash that killed two members of a Casper family.
Anona Kay Dvarishkis, 19, and her stepbrother, 22-year-old Tyler Parrent, died Tuesday at the Wyoming Medical Center from injuries sustained during the crash, which occurred about 4:30 a.m. that morning, said Highway Patrol Lt. Larry Jordan.
The siblings were traveling back to Casper from Billings, Mont. at the time of the crash.
Dvarishkis was driving a white Nissan Pathfinder south on Interstate 25, about 11 miles north of Casper, when she lost control of the sport utility vehicle, Jordan said. The Pathfinder traveled into the median and Dvarishkis overcorrected in an attempt to turn back onto the road.
The Pathfinder rolled several times and Dvarishkis and Parrent were both ejected. Neither was wearing a seat belt, Jordan said.
Both were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Dvarishkis died about midmorning. Her stepbrother died that afternoon.
The Highway Patrol estimated the Pathfinder was traveling at 90 mph at the time of the crash.
"We know they were speeding," Jordan said. "We are investigating the crash for drug use."
Investigators are still looking into what kind of drugs may have been involved.
Reach Joshua Wolfson at (307) 266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@casperstartribune.net.