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I just thought I'd share an update on things I have found out for those who care.

I talked to Travis's mom this morning and she told me a few things before we both fell into tears. Travis died instantly from trauma to his liver and the other boy held on for a while before dieing. The third boy is in the hospital and will survive however he will be paralyzed from breaking his back in 3 places and he also suffered a broken arm and crushed pelvis. Two were wearing seatbelts and no one is sure if Travis was.

Below is an article from the newspaper, as you read notice that Travis's mom found out about the accident on the way to church when she saw them pulling her sons car out of ditch. I can't even imagine how horrible that had to have been.

Crash on Centennial kills two, one hospitalized
By

By DAVID CLOUSTON

Salina Journal

The car that she saw authorities pulling from Dry Creek, on the west side of Centennial Road, caused Laurie Erlemeier's heart to sink on her way to church Sunday morning.

The 2000 Pontiac Firebird belonged to her son, Travis, 19. Her son and another passenger died in the vehicle. A third passenger remained at Salina Regional Health Center Sunday night.

Salina Police Sunday did not identify the three occupants of the vehicle, pending further investigation and notification of family members, but relatives reached Sunday by the Journal confirmed the victims were Erlemeier, Barry Brittendall and Corey Kindlesparger, all of Salina.

A notice of death from Roselawn Mortuary said that Erlemeier had died in the crash and that funeral arrangements would be announced later. A hospital spokeswoman would not release information on Kindlesparger's condition because he is a minor.

Deputy Police Chief Mike Marshall said police were notified of the crash by a passerby at 4:28 a.m., after the passerby saw lights from the disabled car. He said one of the occupants was partially ejected. There was no alcohol apparent in the vehicle, he said.

Sam Brittendall Jr., a half-brother to Barry Brittendall, 15, said Sunday that Barry was seated in the rear passenger's seat, Kindlesparger was in the front passenger's seat and Erlemeier was driving. He said family members were told that the car was traveling on Centennial, just past Jumpin' Joes Family Fun Center, 2031 S. Centennial, at a high rate of speed, lost control and crashed.

Laurie Erlemeier said Sunday that she had left for church when authorities came to their home to notify the family of Travis' death. Her husband, Mark, received the news, as she passed by the scene of the crash and recognized her son's car.

"We do know the boy in the back seat was wearing his seat belt. But we don't know about the other two," she said.

Her son and the other two boys were recent acquaintances, she said. Brittendall and Kindlesparger were drivers at Minneapolis Raceway and had competed in separate heats there Saturday night.

Laurie Erlemeier said her son graduated from Salina South High School in 2006. He had worked for a while at Tony's Pizza Service, and was currently working at Burger King at 2650 S. Ninth. He was making plans to move to Tulsa, Okla., to study areonautical mechanics at the Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology.

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