NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. (WOWO): Three Manchester University students lost their lives in a traffic crash on I-69 in Grant County early Sunday morning.
President of Manchester College, Dave McFadden, said in a letter shared with students faculty and staff, the students were traveling on I-69 and stopped to change a flat tire when several of them were struck by another vehicle.
Nerad Grace Mangai, Brook M. Dagnew and Kirubel Alemayehu Hailu died from their injuries. A fourth student, Israel Solomon Tamire, is being treated for injuries at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.
Three other students, Nebiyu Shiferaw Alemu, Amanuel Atsbha Gebreyohannes and Dagmawi Meseret Tadesse, were not injured in the incidnet and have returned to North Manchester.
The accident happened after the students had been to Ball State University and Taylor University earlier and were driving northbound on I-69 heading back to North Manchester.
McFadden said all the students are from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, except for Nerad, is a sophomore biology-chemistry major from Jos, Nigeria. Brook was a sophomore majoring in biology-chemistry and Kirubel was a first-year medical technology major.
In the release, the University says there will be a memorial service on the North Manchester campus in the coming days.
“We can’t begin to understand the tragic loss of Nerad, Brook and Kirubel, young lives so full of promise. The MU community grieves their passing and will miss them deeply,” McFadden said.
The driver of the vehicle that hit the students was identified as Deangelo R. Evans, 26, listed with an address from Marion Indiana. He’s charged with Operating With a B.A.C of .15% or above and Reckless Homicide.
His bond is set at $300,005.00, as he is being held in the Grant County Jail.
Pres. McFadden releases full statement about the deaths of students Nerad Mangai, Brook Dagnew and Kirubel Hailu: https://t.co/Z4WXgj9MHx
— ManchesterUniversity (@ManchesterUniv) February 21, 2016
Deeply saddened by loss of 3 @ManchesterUniv students this weekend. I urge Hoosiers to keep their families/friends/community in your prayers
— Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) February 21, 2016
Grateful for the community of future, current, and past Spartans who unite in tough times.We’ve experienced so much tragedy lately #MUStrong
— Hannah (@HannahGlenn_) February 21, 2016
