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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