Teen Out Of Hospital After Fatal Van Crash

A 17-year-old Post Falls man was released from the hospital Monday after a vehicle accident that killed his friend.

Idaho State Police are trying to determine whether Neil H. Nash was driving drunk when his van veered into a ravine.

Five teens were thrown from the van as it rolled eight to 10 times down a ravine at Signal Point Mountain, ISP officials said.

Passenger Robert J. Reid, 19, died at the scene. The other three passengers suffered cuts and bruises. They were Brandi L. Waltman, 17; Robert C. Olson, 18; and Eric Kelley, 18.

Nash suffered a broken vertebrae but was allowed to go home Monday afternoon, hospital officials said.

Cpl. Eric Mescher said Nash had a moderate odor of alcohol on his breath. Mescher said he does not know if the passengers were drinking but said they did not have any odor of alcohol on them.

Blood was taken from Nash to determine his blood-alcohol level. The results are not yet in and charges are pending further investigation, Mescher said.