St. Thomas students struggled Tuesday to understand the sudden loss of four North Dakota State University students who died in a car crash Monday on Interstate 94.
The Minnesota State Patrol said the car driven by 18-year-old Lauren Peterson crossed the median near Alexandria and was struck by an SUV, which was hit by a third vehicle. Killed in the crash were Peterson of Prior Lake, 18-year-old Danielle Renninger of Excelsior, 19-year-old Jordan Playle of Elk River; and Megan Sample, age 18, of Rogers.
St. Thomas sophomore Erik Berghoff went to high school with Renninger and said he was stunned by the news.
“I didn’t believe it at first. I thought it was a joke,” Berghoff said. “She’s pretty crazy, lots of fun. She was a great girl.”
Junior Sam Maroney, a high school dance teammate of Renninger’s, said she heard about the crash through a text message from her mom.
“I was in shock. She is just way too young for this to happen,” Maroney said.
Maroney added that “bubbly” is the one word she would use to describe Renninger.
“She was a free spirit,” Maroney said. “She was always smiling. The best person ever. She touched so many people’s lives. She’s going to be missed by a lot of people.”
NDSU officials said that Renninger, Playle and Sample were roommates in Sevrinson Hall. Peterson lived in North Weible Hall.
St. Thomas freshman Molly Schroeder said that she met Peterson in middle school and lived just blocks away from her.
Schroeder said Peterson was “really funny, really nice and a super good dancer.”
“She had one of the brightest and prettiest smiles,” Schroeder said. “The fact that she loved to have fun made her so beautiful.”
The State Patrol said two others traveling in other vehicles were injured in the crash but are expected to survive.
Heavy snow, fog, strong winds and temperatures hovering around freezing made travel difficult Monday. The State Patrol has not made a final determination on whether those conditions were factors in the deadly crash.
“We’re really lucky,” St. Thomas freshman Christian Smith said. “It could have been any of us.”
Members of the St. Thomas community who might have known the students and who would like support or assistance in dealing with their deaths are welcome to contact Campus Ministry, (651) 962-6560, or Counseling and Psychological Services, (651) 962-6780.