Local tragedy

Any time you hear about an accident involving kids it's sad. When I heard that this accident happened so close to us, I was also nervous. My wife teaches at Mapleton, but I let it go when they didn't call her in to work (she's also a guidance counselor).

So it was terrible when I came in to school and Rena told me who one of the kids was. Bradley was an insanely gifted mascot. I had really hoped that he would continue on in high school but he struggled with grades and than his family moved out of our district. I had lost touch with him, but Rena has remained close to his sister, Nichole who cheer in both middle school and Varsity.

Heaven must need mascots. Bradley will be a great one.

Please pray for Nichole and the rest of Bradley's family and the families of the other kids in this accident. Please also pray for the kids at Boyer Valley, Maple Valley, and Odeboldt-Aurthur schools who know these kids, including the girls on the cheer squad I coach at Boyer Valley.

Associated Press - October 28, 2007 7:24 PM ET

MAPLETON, Iowa (AP) - Two teenagers were killed and a third person was injured in a crash near Mapleton in western Iowa.

The Iowa State Patrol says that 19-year-old Michael Babcock of Odebolt, and 15-year-old Bradley Kline Jr., of Schleswig, were killed in the wreck on Saturday.

Twenty-1-year-old Scott Mau of Odebolt was taken by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Hospital officials did not give any information on his condition.

A patrol report showed that a pickup truck driven by Babcock left the road at a bridge just south of Mapleton in western Iowa.

The patrol says that two people were thrown from the truck and trapped underneath. The other occupant was found inside the truck.

The accident is believed to have happened about 1:30 a.m. Saturday. The truck wasn't found until 12 hours later.

The investigation was continuing.

Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com