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62 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, August 3, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 21, 2004 Church learns from 2003’s fatal errors By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune ASHLAND — A year after a tragic van rollover killed a local teen and seriously injured several others, Ashland Christian Fellowship is repeating the house-building mission trip to Baja, Mexico — this time with safer vehicles and stringent driving rules. "Everyone’s excited but a little anxious," said Susan Rosenlund, whose daughter Elisa, 16, suffered a fractured pelvis and still wears a brace on her foot. She is among 10 teens on last year’s trip who are returning this year. "I can’t say I’m completely ready for her to go, but if this is what God wants to happen, he’ll open the door and if not, he’ll close it," Rosenlund said. "I’m trusting the Lord and trying to stay positive, but anyone who says they’re not anxious is lying, because it was pretty devastating. "As a mother who almost lost her daughter, I have to trust this is what the Lord wants." The van accident occurred Aug. 17 on Interstate 5 in Sacramento as the group drove home from the mission trip. Jessyca Tahlor Newmann, 14, of Talent, died from head injuries, while two others, Rosenlund and Kelsey Smith, suffered crippling injuries that have since largely healed. Advertisement In March, prosecutors in Sacramento County charged driver and ACF youth minister Jeremy Hascall with vehicular manslaughter, a misdemeanor, for driving through the night and falling asleep at the wheel. After the van left the road, he overcorrected, flipping the van, according to the accident report. Most of the sleeping teen passengers were not buckled into their seats. In June, Hascall pleaded no contest to a charge of reckless driving and was sentenced to 300 hours of community service, to be carried out in Jackson County. Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney Paul Durenberger said the reduced charge was offered because the manufacturer of the 15-passenger Ford Econoline van faces lawsuits regarding safety defects, and the van was a factor in the fatality. Hascall organized but will not be going on this year’s trip, church officials said. After the tragedy, ACF got rid of its 15-passenger extended vans, which "tend to roll when over-corrected," trained its drivers, screened drivers for past offenses and purchased two GMC minivans — safety rated, with a wider wheelbase and a roll cage — said the Rev. Mark Anderson, ACF’s pastor. "We hopefully have learned from our stupid mistakes of last year and are doing the best we can to protect the children," Anderson said. "We know we can’t drive overnight. We’ll never do that again. We need skilled and rested drivers — what any thinking person would do is what we should have done (last year)." Hascall and a dozen church elders wrote a lengthy safety code: mandatory seat buckling, maximum six-hour driving shifts for one person and maximum 10-hour total daily road time for passengers, he said. The code was submitted to the church’s insurer, which has covered all medical claims to date and kept the church’s rates steady, he said, noting no negligence lawsuits have been filed by families of the injured teens. As a further safety measure, Elisa Rosenlund’s father, Derek, a paramedic with Ashland Fire Department, will make the trip. He’ll be one of 11 adults along. Repeating the trip, to be taken Aug. 13-22, "triggered a lot of memories and scary stuff," Anderson said, and brought up much discussion and prayer within families and in the church. "We thought it would be tragic not to go," he said. "We really believe we’re being obedient to what God wants us to do — that we should return. We also have a spiritual motive, helping people in need and exposing our children to a different culture." Becky Brown’s daughter Brie, 16, was in the accident and underwent surgery for shoulder injuries. Brie and her sister Kari, 15, will make the return trip this year. Becky Brown said she’s comfortable with the safety measures and "for people who can’t believe I’m sending my children, I say: ‘If God wants to take them to Mexico, he’s going to take them to Mexico.’ I know he wants that because he raised the money for it and the kids are raring to go. I don’t have any anxieties about it." Brie said, "I feel great, really excited. I know God has a plan for me, so I’m happy to go. I told my parents I really want to go back and we talked and prayed and saw God wants it." John Darling is a free-lance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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