All-American OSU Athletes Recovering After Crash Near Perkins

A serious accident sends two All American OSU athletes to the hospital. 

The wrestler and runner were on their way home from a youth practice when they crashed near Perkins Monday night. 

Oklahoma State’s head coaches recalled the moment they heard about the accident, when they scrambled to find information and rushed to the crash site. 

"Just thinking the worst at times and just hoping for the best," said OSU Wrestling Coach, John Smith. 

Smith then described the crash with wrestler AJ Ferrari, and cross-country runner Isia Rodriguez in the car. 

"Seemed like a lot of ambulances that were there. You got a helicopter coming in and yeah it wasn't a good scene. My first thought was that it's a head on collision." 

The two tried to pass three cars as they drove uphill when they hit an oncoming vehicle. The student-athletes' car then rolled multiple times and caught fire. 

"It's always marked as you're coming up a hillcrest it'll be a no passing because you can't see over that hillcrest," said OHP Trooper Eric Foster. "Just a matter of feet one way or the other could cost somebody their life," he added. 

The other car's driver was not hurt. Isia was able to crawl out of the car himself; but he lost his phone in the car fire. 

"No one could find Isia, and no one knew where he was and that was about an hour's worth of panic. There were rumors he was flown some place. There were rumors he was driven some place, there were rumors he walked away on his own," said Head Cross Country Coach, Dave Smith. 

AJ was pulled out by an assistant coach and second good Samaritan who just happened to drive by. 

"I don't know how many people would go to a car that was on fire and try to pull someone out but I'm sure glad Coach Dunn was there." 

Isia is expected to be released from the hospital either Tuesday or Wednesday. 

AJ injuries are not life threatening and he has no broken bones; but the full extent is unclear.