Single vehicle crash kills three University of Wyoming student athletes

Three University of Wyoming student athletes died Thursday afternoon when the vehicle they were traveling in rolled multiple times on a highway just south of the border with Colorado, the school announced that evening.

In a message sent to the UW community, school President Ed Seidel identified the three as:

Charlie Clark, 19, a sophomore from Las Vegas, Nevada, who was studying psychology and competed on the men's team.

Carson Muir, 18, a freshman from Birmingham, Alabama, who was studying animal and veterinary sciences and competed on the women's team.

Luke Slabber, 21, a junior from Cape Town, South Africa, who was studying construction management and competed on the men's team.

"They hailed from widely different geographies, but they found a home on our campus and in our student-athlete community," Seidel said in the message. "We will miss them all immensely."

Two other members of the university's swimming and diving team suffered injuries in the crash that were not life threatening, the school said. Their identities have not been released.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Highway 287 and Red Mountain Road, which sits between the Colorado towns of Livermore and Virginia Dale about 10 miles north of the border. The highway connects the university town of Laramie with Fort Collins, Colorado.

"We are heartsick at the news of this terrible tragedy for our university, our state, our student-athlete community and, most importantly, the families and friends of these young people," Seidel said in a statement released Thursday evening. "Words are insufficient to express our sadness."

Authorities are still investigating the crash.

Initial reports from the Colorado State Patrol, the university said, indicate the driver swerved before the vehicle traveled off the road, then rolled multiple times. No other vehicles were involved.

"My thoughts and prayers are with our swimming and diving student-athletes, coaches, families and friends," UW Director of Athletics Tom Burman said in a statement. "It is difficult to lose members of our University of Wyoming family, and we mourn the loss of these student-athletes.

"As we mourn the loss of these students, let's do our best and pull together, support those who are suffering, and show the compassion and kindness that characterize what it means to be part of this community," Seidel said.