Two passengers who were airlifted to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, Idaho, after a 15-passenger church van accident on Thursday have improved from critical condition, said Corey Minton, clinical coordinator at the hospital.
Christine Aki, 18, of Golden and Katherine Pischura, 18 of Geneva, Ohio, are still in serious condition, Minton said.
The two are among the 16 college- age members of New Life Worship Church in Federal Heights whose van crashed on their way to Portland, Ore., to raise money for community- service programs.
Roughly 950 miles into their trip, their van slid on black ice early in the morning and flipped into the median off Interstate 84 near Baker City, west of the Idaho state line, according to the Oregon State Police.
Five critically injured people were originally airlifted to Saint Alphonsus. As of Saturday afternoon, Aaron Werntz, 19, of Freeport, Ill., Phillip Harris, 24, of Attalla, Ala., and William Rodgers, 22, of Lakewood remained in critical condition at the hospital, Minton said. Eight others who had been hospitalized and the driver, who suffered minor injuries, returned to Denver on Saturday.
Church member Joshua Pischura, 20, of Geneva, Ohio, was pronounced dead shortly after the crash; member Taune Nicole Winter Pepper, 23, of Deer Trail was airlifted to Saint Alphonsus, where she later died.
Victoria Barbatelli: 303-954-1698 or vbarbatelli@denverpost.com
