2 NDSU students die in I-94 crash; 1 dreamt of being small-town doctor

A car occupied by three college students slid on a slick Minnesota interstate east of Fargo in a crash that killed the driver and a passenger, authorities said Sunday.

The wreck occurred shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday on westbound Interstate 94 in Glyndon Township, according to the State Patrol.

Passenger Carson D. Roney, 19, of Oakes, N.D., was killed. The motorist who died was identified as 18-year-old Danie L. Thomssen of Fargo.

Another passenger, 18-year-old Haley L. Visto, also from Oakes, was hospitalized with noncritical injuries.

The car was heading west on Interstate 94, went out of control on a road surface described as either snowy or icy and hit a guardrail in the median, the patrol said.

Roney and Thomssen were sophomores at North Dakota State University, according to the student directory for the college, located in Fargo. Both were biology majors. Visto also is a sophomore at NDSU.

In a statement issued Sunday afternoon, NDSU President Dean L. Bresciani said that the university community "is deeply saddened by this tragedy, and extends sincere condolences to the families, classmates and friends of Danie and Carson. As is our tradition, we will provide care and support to everyone affected by this loss."

Roney intended to become a family medicine doctor, then return to Oakes and practice medicine and take over the family farm, according to a brief biography of him released in May by the provider of a college financial aid award.

At Oakes High School, he played basketball and football and ran track. He also was a Boys State delegate.

Thomssen, who graduated from Bismarck Century High School, played saxophone in the NDSU Gold Star Marching Band, according to the band's current member roster.

NDSU band director Sigurd Johnson said Sunday afternoon that Thomssen chose a challenging academic area for her studies, and "often the band members with very rigorous majors really enjoy the marching band, since it gives them a chance to let off some steam and do something completely different from the daily class and lab work."

Johnson said that "a couple of her best friends in my band were also from Bismarck and the marching band there, so this is going to be especially difficult for them, no doubt. … Next's fall marching season is going to offer some sad reminders, I think, for some of our band members."

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482