A recruiting trip to Portland by the North Idaho College basketball coaching staff nearly turned deadly Thursday morning when two of them were struck by a car.

Head coach Corey Symons was driving a Dodge Durango west on I-90 near the Tyler exit around 5 a.m. when he hit a deer. He and his four passengers got out of the car and were were standing on the shoulder as a tow truck pulled up, according to Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney.

A westbound Jeep Cherokee swerved right to avoid the tow truck and hit two of the pedestrians, identified as assistant coaches Christopher Kemp and George Swanson. Kemp was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center by helicopter and Swanson was taken by ambulance.

North Idaho College spokesman Tom Greene said both men are in serious but stable condition.

NIC Athletic Director Al Williams said he spent the afternoon at the hospital with the coaches. “It could have been worse, but it wasn’t,” he said.

Another assistant coach, Ameer Shamsuddin, was initially thought to be uninjured but was later treated at the hospital as well, Williams said.

“He foot got run over and hit leg got hit,” he said. “I don’t even think he realized he was hurt until everything subsided.”

Radio host Richard Haugen, who was traveling with the coaches, was uninjured. The driver of the Cherokee, identified as Matthew H. Seay of Deer Park, also was not injured.

Seay was inattentive while driving but was not impaired, Sevigney said. He has been charged with negligent driving/Nina Culver, SR. More here (subscription).

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