OAN Staff Abril Elfi
11:39 AM – Saturday, May 3, 2025
The driver of a pickup truck who died in a deadly collision with a tour van near Yellowstone National Park has been identified as a 25-year-old man from Texas.
Isaih Moreno was among the seven people who lost their lives in the fiery crash that took place Thursday evening about 16 miles from the park’s entrance.
Yellowstone National Park borders the state of Idaho. While most of the park lies in Wyoming, a small portion extends into Idaho on the park’s western edge, as well as into Montana to the north.
Moreno had been traveling west in a Dodge Ram pickup, while a Mercedes van — carrying 14 international tourists — was headed east.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the other victims.
“Due to the complexity of the incident, the identification of all individuals involved and notification of their next of kin will take time,” Idaho State Police stated in an update.
Fremont County coroner Brenda Dye told The New York Times that the six other deceased victims suffered severe burns that made visual identification impossible, and officials are waiting for DNA testing results to confirm their identities.
She noted that all six were foreign nationals, including two individuals from Italy.
China’s Consulate General in San Francisco reported that five Chinese citizens died in the crash and an additional eight were injured.
“The consulate expressed deep condolences for the dead and sincere sympathy to the injured and the families of those affected,” according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Those who survived the crash were transported to nearby hospitals with injuries that authorities believe are not life-threatening.
The highway where the crash happened has a reputation for being “very dangerous” and “extremely busy,” said Roger Merrill, 60, who witnessed the vehicles engulfed in flames and recorded footage of the aftermath.
Tour vans are a common sight in the area, which is located near a gateway to Yellowstone.
Idaho Governor Brad Little stated in a social media post that the state is collaborating with local authorities to find “answers on what led to this terrible tragedy.”
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts