Accident injures speech team
By STU MERRY
A van carrying six members of the Garrison High Speech team, along with their coach, didn’t make it to its destination this past weekend.
The Chevrolet van, driven by coach Amanda Forsberg, overturned when it entered a ditch on ice-covered N.D. Highway 23 southwest of Velva, the site of the speech meet.
Passengers included team members Allen Porter, Austin Anderson, Cassie Perman, Justin Hansen, Jessica Dimitch and Mckenna Linz.
Three of the students were taken to a Minot medical center evaluation. The passengers received bruises, scratches, sprains and broken bones. None of the injuries were life-threatening. All but one of the passengers were wearing safety restraints.
Forsberg said the accident happened about 7:50 a.m., this past Saturday. The mishap occurred on a curve just past a rise in the road, about five miles from the intersection of N.D. 41.
One of the speech team members, Cassie Perman, texted her mother shortly after the accident. She wrote: "Whatever happens mom, just know that I love you."
Those are words no mother ever wants to hear. The text sent chills down Jen Perman’s spine. "I tensed up, calling immediately. I quickly knew something was up.
"You can’t send a text like that and not call immediately," she told Cassie after reaching her by phone.
