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Local News 
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Crash victim warned his students against DUI Mariner High teacher Brad Agerup told told about the risks of drunken driving just days before he was killed MARYSVILLE — Brad Agerup had a message for his students before they left for Thanksgiving: Don’t drink and drive, the Mariner High School physical education and health teacher said.When Agerup’s students returned from the holiday weekend Monday morning, they learned their teacher was one of four victims Sunday in the deadliest drunken-driving crash in recent Snohomish County history. As the athletic trainer for Mariner’s sports teams, Agerup, 54, always was ready with ice to soothe physical injuries and a big heart to help students through emotional challenges, said Brent Kline, the school’s principal. “He was a man who touched their lives so much,” he said. “That will continue beyond his death.” Agerup’s wife, Melissa, 48, and their neighbors, Hilda Woods, 62, and Thomas Woods, 57, also died in Sunday’s crash, according to the Washington State Patrol. “It’s a tragedy for these families,” neighbor Joy Vaughn said. “They were wonderful, wonderful people.” Students and friends joined a community to grieve the victims while detectives sought evidence. Matthew C. McDonald, 27, of Snohomish, allegedly told police he drank eight beers before getting behind the wheel of a Ford Explorer, according to a police report filed Monday in Everett District Court. Two hours after the crash, McDonald allegedly had a blood-alcohol level of .123, the court paper said. That’s 1.5 times the legal limit. McDonald is being held for investigation of four counts of vehicular homicide. A judge on Monday ordered him held in lieu of $1 million bail. While McDonald appeared for a court hearing, friends and loved ones were gathering to comfort two families touched by tragedy. The crash victims lived across the street from each other in Clearview. “We’re all grieving,” Vaughn said of the tight-knit block. The crash occurred around 6:15 p.m. on Highway 9 northeast of Marysville. On Monday, the scene was marked with six red roses, left as a memorial. Police believe the man who caused the crash was driving east on 108th Street NE at about 40 mph, about 5 mph over the posted limit, court documents said. The driver allegedly failed to stop at the intersection, ignoring a stop sign, and slammed into the 2007 Hyundai sedan. After the crash, the Ford’s driver fled, State Patrol trooper Keith Leary said. A neighbor near the crash scene convinced the man to surrender. McDonald and his passenger, 32, suffered minor injuries. McDonald was treated at a local hospital and then jailed. The passenger told police he’d asked the driver to slow down before the crash. McDonald allegedly first told police he had four beers. Later he admitted to drinking twice that amount, police reported. Students gathered Monday to support Mariner High School football coach John Ondriezek, who was best friends with Agerup. “Each one of the kids said something positive about Brad and how much he meant to their lives,” the coach said. “Several players spoke about how Agerup cared about them as people and that his interest was about life, not just sports.” Agerup was active in the school’s Blue and Gold club, a group that raises money to help underprivileged students pay for school needs, officials said. He was known to contribute his own money to help students. “He will be so missed,” said Pam Degamo, whose son was one of Agerup’s students. “The extent of this loss reaches far and wide and will always leave a hole in our hearts.” Degamo said she felt heartache for the Agerup’s two daughters, 16 and 18. “They have lost both of their parents at once all by the hands of some guy who just had to drink and drive. So sad,” she said. Josh Bollinger played basketball for Mariner from 1999 to 2002. Agerup inspired Bollinger to make a career of working in undergraduate athletics. “He taught me all that I know about sports medicine, knowledge that I put into practice these days as a coach out at the Bear Creek School in Redmond,” Bollinger said. “He was a great teacher and an even better man. He went above and beyond.” Agerup’s reputation reached beyond the high school. About 15 years ago, he worked as a trainer for the Seattle Seahawks and he was a familiar face throughout the Mukilteo School District where he taught CPR and first aid, school district spokesman Andy Muntz said. Agerup likely used resuscitation skills to help Kyle Bigham, the Lake Stevens High School assistant football coach who collapsed before the start of the Lake Stevens-Mariner football game on Sept. 5, 2008. “He was one of the big parts of why I’m here today,” Bigham said. “I will be forever grateful for that.” Bigham recovered but had huge medical bills. Agerup again came to the man’s aid. He was involved in raising money from within the Mariner community to help the Lake Stevens coach. This fall, near the anniversary of his nearly fatal collapse, Bigham said he shook hands with Agerup at the annual Mariner-Lake Stevens football game. “My heart goes out to his two children who now lost a mother and father, and hope with all my heart that they will find strength in loved ones to help them through this insane tragedy,” he said. Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com. |
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COMMENTS
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I have been priveleged to have Brad Agerup as both a teacher/athletic trainer and a friend. He was at Mariner for my senior year and was quick to assist us as swimmers on Dick Watson's team. We had many aches and pains from the rigors of Dick's rigorous practices. Brad also cared for my sister and her ankle sprains while she played on the Mariner basketball team. He was the kind of role model and teacher that a high school kid always remembers.
When I became the Head Swimming Coach at Snohomish High School 8 years after graduating from Mariner, he was among the first, along with Mariner's football coach John Ondriezek and Coach Watson, to congratulate me. Later, I would end up coaching the children of the Vaughn's on the Snohomish High Swim Team. They were good friends and neighbors of the Agerups mentioned in the story.
I guess my point is that the community of people that this man touched is so wide-ranging and dynamic that the loss really can't be quantified. Several of my friends who were not "Marauders" knew and respected him as well. His work on the Snohomish School District's Citizen's Facility Advisory Commitee assisted in gaining the community support necessary to build new schools and the new pool that is coming to Snohomish soon. In short, this one humble man did things for a lot of people--things that can never be repayed or replaced.
My heart goes out to the Agerup's daughters who are now left without parents. I pray for them and the families involved. But I have to ask in closing why people still don't get the concept of, "don't drink and drive". Why does it take something like this during the holiday season for people to get it?
John Pringle | Dec 3, 2009 11:07 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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I will never forget all of the good times that Mr. Ice Man and I had. I was the V. Softball Captain for 2 years and my dad was one of the assistant coaches. Mr. Ice Man would always come out to the softball field and cheer us on, and watch our games. He was so proud of his daughters, especially the softball skills and playing at Snoho HS. He would brag all of the time about the tremendous skills that his daughters had. I unfortunately did not have the pleasure of meeting these girls, but I wish I did. My deepest sympathy goes out for the children of both families. Mr. Agreup still is teaching even after his death. I being a part of the class of 2006 am now a part of the drinking scene, and see it happen all of the time with fellow alumni of people drinking and driving. I think this has hit the hearts of many, and we have all learned a lesson- thus being the final and most heart filling one by Mr. Ice Man.
You will be missed, you have touched the lives of many. Thank you for taking care of sports injuries, and teaching how to live a safe and healthy lifestyle. Mr. Ice Man pushed me to go to college and play college sports, and if it wasn't for him... I doubt I would have made it all of the way.
Thanks for the lessons.
You will be missed dearly
Krystal McMullen- Class of 2006
Krystal McMullen | Dec 2, 2009 10:27 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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you have got to be kidding me.. you are really blaming this on the make of car mr. agerup was driving??? do you realize that their family members and friends read these and to have their tragedy just explained as a lousy car.. that is just wrong. mr. agerup was a teacher that i had my freshman year in 1995 he has been one teacher i remembered and looked up to thru the years because of his stance on drinking and driving. the loss of him and his wife and of mr. and mrs. woods is hard on anyone that ever met them. blessings of peace to their families. please... please don't drink and drive this holiday season.
Ranae Engel | Dec 1, 2009 10:39 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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Very sad story. I'm glad I don't drive a Hyundai any more. My wife hit a curb and bent the wheel in. It was totaled out for that. I know they are cheap good cars but I would not want to crash one. I wonder how they all died in what seems like a kinda low impact crash. What a tragedy.
Stan Jones | Dec 1, 2009 3:01 pm | 1 replies | Request removal
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you have got to be kidding me.. you are really blaming this on the make of car mr. agerup was driving??? do you realize that their family members and friends read these and to have their tragedy just explained as a lousy car.. that is just wrong. mr. agerup was a teacher that i had my freshman year in 1995 he has been one teacher i remembered and looked up to thru the years because of his stance on drinking and driving. the loss of him and his wife and of mr. and mrs. woods is hard on anyone that ever met them. blessings of peace to their families. please... please don't drink and drive this holiday season.
Ranae Engel | Dec 01, 2009 3:46 pm | Request removal
I am sorry for the loss of what sounds like two incrediable families! It seems that the second family that was killed in this horrific accident has been ignored. Please lets not forget that two sets of families have been forever impacted!
Jamie Gedrose | Dec 1, 2009 9:51 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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How sad and ironic. Just days before... he was telling his students not to drink and drive, then he, his wife, and friends are killed by a drunk driver.
Very, very sad. I'm sure the school and community feel a great loss by this tragedy.
Bobby G | Dec 1, 2009 6:13 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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In fact, while Alaska's DUI laws now list intoxication at .08%, it was not that long ago they considered it .15%. Likewise, in this state, 20 years ago, a .12% above the .10 legal limit was easily dismissed.
I am NOT making excuses for this person, what i am saying is that it doesn't matter if you are drunk, changing CD's, on the cell phone, or reaching behind to slap a loud mouth brat... take your eye's off the road, lose your concentration, & you have NO EXCUSE if that action caused death.
We should not single out intoxicated people, while the "non-intoxicated" still account for 40% of the other deaths on roads ---like their lack of intoxication is somehow justified? Please.
cme everett | Dec 1, 2009 2:34 am | 1 replies | Request removal
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You make a very good point. I do not condone drinking and driving, but anyone that drives needs to pay attention. If this guy was sober and caused the same wreck they would just call it an accident, but it's no accident when you take 4 lives.
Work Ethic | Dec 01, 2009 4:47 am | Request removal
If you drink and get in a vehicle to drive, that is premeditated murder as far as I'm concerned.
Let's get some teeth in the drunk driving laws in this state - let's stop the carnage. And while we're at it, tack on driving while texting or talking on a cell phone with the same penalties.
Cheryl Fontaine | Dec 1, 2009 4:41 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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How sad for the families of the victims. Our prayers are with you.
To the court and the "defense" lawyer...1 mil for bail is not enough, so don't go lowering it, otherwise you might find yourself in the same position as those who set bail for Clemmons at $150K. Four dead there too!
hope floats | Dec 1, 2009 3:24 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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