CdA athlete dies in accident
UPDATE: Monday a.m.
Click the tab below to read about the death of Coeur d'Alene baseball standout Devon Austin in a car accident early Sunday morning. A friend of Austin, Ryan Reinhardt, also died in the accident.
Austin is pictured above.
Here's a link to the story about the accident in this morning's Twin Falls newspaper.
By Greg Lee
gregl@spokesman.com, (208) 765-7127
Devon Austin, the Gatorade Player of the Year for Idaho in baseball last spring, died in a car accident early Sunday morning, friends said.
Austin was the passenger in a car driven by his friend, Ryan Reinhardt, when it failed to negotiate a curve about seven miles south of Twin Falls, friends said. Austin and Rhinehart both died. Both weren’t wearing seatbelts and were ejected from the car, friends said.
Another passenger, Jessica Duran, Austin’s girlfriend, suffered minor injuries, friends said.
Austin, a catcher, was attending College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls on a baseball scholarship.
He led CdA (22-10) to the 5A state semifinals. He batted .433 with four homers, 48 RBI and 17 stolen bases. He was also the Louisville Slugger Player of the Year for Idaho.
A memorial, including his mitt and uniform, has been set up at home plate at Ted Page Field, Coeur d’Alene High’s baseball field, CdA baseball coach Nick Rook said. People are encouraged to drop off flowers or cards.
“Devon touched more lives in a positive way than he ever realized or his parents ever realized,” Rook said. “He touched my life. Devon’s ability to attract people was spectacular. You were drawn to Devon. I knew we’d be celebrating Devon’s life, but I didn’t think it would be this way. I thought it would be because of news that he was drafted or something.”
Reinhardt was a starting cornerback for the CdA football team last year.
Austin is the grandson of Coeur d’Alene City Councilman Ron Edinger.
