Military member dies in wreck near Riddle

Wednesday, May 12, 2004
The car carring two military members, one of whom died, rolled after leaving the road near Riddle.

A female member of the Air Force assigned to Mountain Home AFB was killed Monday afternoon in a single-vehicle roll-over at milepost 44 on Highway 51 near Riddle.

The accident occured shortly before 3:45 p.m., when authorities were notified and began responding.

The 19-year-old woman has been identified as Airman Tanna Teresa Preston, originally from Sacramento, Calif.

Airman First Class Zachary Chotia, 18,who also was in the vehicle at the time of the accident, was taken by air ambulance to St. Alphonus Regional Medical Center suffering from head injuries. He also is a military member assigned to the airbase.

Owyhee County Sheriff's authorities said the accident occured on a treacherous stretch of sharp curves known locally as the "flying 44," because of the number of vehicles over the years that have left the road there after failing to negotiate the curves.

Authorities said the incident was still under investigation but speed may have been a factor in the accident. Preliminary reports indicated the vehicle began to go off the road, the driver overcorrected, and the car then rolled down a small embankment.

Preston was thrown from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.

Chotia was found by Grand View ambulance crews to be walking around the scene, but suffering from "serious" head injuries. He remained hospitalized at St. Alphonsus Tuesday in serious condition.

He had been transported by Grand View ambulance to a location where a second helicopter dispatched to the scene could land. The first helicopter, from St. Luke's had developed problems in flight and had been forced to land in Grand View.

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