BURNSIDE - Funeral services for a Dayton teen who was killed in an accident Wednesday will be held at the school he attended.
Chase Dodson, 14, was killed when the van he was riding in rolled several times on a gravel road just outside of Burnside. He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle, said State Trooper Neil Morenz.
The visitation for Dodson, a freshman at Southeast Webster-Grand, will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Burnside gym. The funeral will be at 2 p.m on Sunday.
Classmates remember him for his sense of humor and caring nature.
"A tragedy like this hits a little too close to home," said Mike Jorgensen, superintendent of Southeast Webster-Grand. "Everyone knows everyone in a small school like this."
Jorgensen said a crisis team will be available at the school for students today. The school play, "Damn Yankees," which was scheduled for tonight and Saturday, will be postponed one week.
Cody Breitsprecher, 15, Dayton, was driving the van in which Dodson was a passenger south on Quail Avenue just south of 320th Street when he lost control, said Morenz. The vehicle stopped on its top in the east ditch at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Breitsprecher and his other passengers, Michael Pals, 14; Austin Diehl, 14; Austin Ferguson, 14; and Danny Fye, 14; were all taken to Trinity Regional Medical Center.
Breitsprecher, Fye and Ferguson were treated and released. Diehl and Pals remained at the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, said Morenz.
A Dayton police officer will visit the school to review with students the appropriate uses of a school driving permit and the laws and regulations that go with it. That will take place on Wednesday and Thursday.
Morenz said the accident is still under investigation.
The Iowa State Patrol was assisted by the Webster County Sheriff's Department. Southwest Webster-Gowrie Ambulance, Gowrie Fire and Rescue, Dayton Rescue, Lehigh Rescue and Trinity Regional Medical Center all responded to the accident.
Contact Katie Williams at (515) 573-2141 or katie@messengernews.net