WINNIPEG – The teen killed in a rural Manitoba snowmobile crash has been identified as Jonah Crookes, 16, of Steinbach.
Crookes, a Grade 11 student at Steinbach Regional Secondary School, died after a crash at around 7 p.m. Saturday, eight kilometers east of Marchand, Man., on a fireguard near Highway 210.
Family friend Randy Wolgemuth said the family wants privacy, but offered his own description of Crookes.
“His love for Jesus is incredible. He’s been going to Bible studies for years,” he said. “He was very thoughtful.”
Crookes was with five others when he lost control on a curve and hit several trees, RCMP said. He was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Some of the rescuers are worried the grounding of STARS Air Ambulance earlier this month may be a problem.
“I’m not the professional that’s going to say that STARS would have saved his life, but I cannot believe during the worst season for crash trauma that STARS program is grounded,” said Alain Nadeau, one of the responders at the crash on Saturday.
Police said they don’t think alcohol was a factor in the crash and Crookes was wearing a helmet, but speed and lighting conditions may have contributed to the crash.
Hanover School Division superintendent Randy Dueck said it would be an extremely difficult day for students on Monday, and grief counselors were at the school to help deal with the tragedy.
“It is a tight-knit community,” Dueck said about Steinbach. “We do whatever we can at a difficult time like this.”
Classes continude but counsellors were available to any students or staff who needed them in the guidance area of the high school.
There is also a memorial area in the school library that includes a book of condolences, and there’s an online memorial on the school website.
Comments