[Higher_Desire]

Dan graduated from ACI this year and was sadly hit and killed by a drunk driver early Tuesday morning.

This is the story from the local paper, the Idaho Press-Tribune:

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Head-on crash kills 2 drivers

By Eric Muhr - IPT

NAMPA -- Two Treasure Valley men died in a head-on collision on Interstate 84 early Tuesday. Investigators said one of the drivers was going the wrong direction on the freeway.

Canyon County Coroner Vicki DeGeus-Morris said alcohol was a factor in the deadly crash.

Idaho State Police investigators said Beau Aguirre, a 24-year-old Meridian resident, was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 when he crashed into a car driven by 23-year-old Dan Lew of Nampa.

Rick Ohnsman, a police spokesman, said both drivers were killed in the accident, which occurred near the Garrity Boulevard exit. Debris from the crash also hit a third vehicle and caused minor damage.

Officers are investigating several factors in the accident.

"It was fairly high speed -- 80, 90 miles an hour," Ohnsman said of Aguirre's vehicle. "We don't have the toxicology reports, but there are indications of DUI."

Nampa dispatch records show that two calls about the same eastbound vehicle came in at 12:39 a.m. One call claimed a reckless driver was headed the wrong way on the freeway while the other reported a drunk driver. The accident took place about one minute after the two calls.

DeGeus-Morris said the county coroner's office has the results of a blood test on one of the drivers Tuesday. But she said she could not release specific information on each driver until today.

"I can definitely tell you that alcohol was a factor," she added.

DeGeus-Morris said both drivers suffered massive injuries. Both were also killed at the scene.

"It doesn't happen a lot," she said. "(But) even if you have one a year, that's too many."

Albertson College of Idaho President Bob Hoover and his wife, Jeanne, said Lew's death is a loss for the Caldwell campus.

"Dan was a special person who brought many talents to the campus and was a friend to all," they said in a public statement. "He was the essence of ACI's great campus spirit, and his presence will be sorely missed by all of us."

The Idaho Press-Tribune was unable to contact members of Aguirre's family for information about him.

Lew first came to Albertson on a tennis scholarship and was a cheerleader. He also served as the assistant coach for women's tennis and graduated in May with a degree in sports and fitness center management and business with a minor in music. He had planned to return in the fall to coach the Albertson College cheer squad.

Friends such as Barry Smith remembered Lew as a dedicated dad and a caring friend. They said Lew's love for his daughter, 3-year-old Kaia, set him apart. The girl often accompanied her father around campus.

"This is going to devastate the campus," Smith said. "Everybody knew him in every department. It's a real tragic loss."

Another friend, Francisco Davila, said Lew stood out because of his generosity.

"He was extremely giving as a person," Davila said. "He and his family lent me one of their cars for two years because I needed transportation.

"He gave up time and money to help me in a bodybuilding competition last year. He's the guy who motivated me in the gym, kept me going when I wanted to quit."

Davila explained that when Lew was working to get into a fraternity, he missed a "do or die" event so he could spend time with his daughter. "He made that sacrifice."

Nicole Funk, another friend and fellow student, said Lew will be missed.

"He was an amazing person," Funk said. "He impacted everybody's life that he came in contact with."

Services for Lew are pending under the direction of the Alsip & Persons Funeral Chapel.
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