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SAN JON, New Mexico — A BYU-Idaho student and his father were killed in a car crash early Sunday morning as they were driving to their home in Texas from Idaho, following the end of the winter semester.
Dustin Empey, 21, and his father, James Empey, 49, were driving near San Jon, New Mexico, near the border of Texas. They were driving a pickup truck that crashed into the back of a semitruck, according to dallasnews.com. The pickup truck was then struck by another semitruck, according to police. Dustin and James Empey died from their injuries. No other injuries were reported.
They are survived by wife and mother, Sharron Empey, and daughter and sister, Laney, 17, of Garland, Texas.
Dustin served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Las Vegas, Nevada, returning to his home last summer, his family said in a statement. He had completed his first year of studies at BYU-Idaho with plans to go into law enforcement to help prisoners reform their lives.
“We are incredibly overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support we have received over the last 24 hours. Words cannot begin to express how much the kind words and generosity of others means to us during our time of such great loss,” Sharron Empey said in a statement released to KSL.com. “Laney and I are so grateful for the plan of salvation and the knowledge that our family will be together forever.”
Family members have set up a GoFundMe account* for the Empeys to cover funeral and other expenses.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
*KSL.com does not assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
