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Four Pacific Union College Students Die in Tragic Accident
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Four Pacific Union College Students Die in Tragic Accident
Posted: November 16, 2008
Four Pacific Union College (PUC) students died in a vehicle accident on Deer Park Road late Saturday night. The Napa County Sheriff’s Department identified the victims as Boaz Pak, 20, Luke Nishikawa, 22, Simon Son, 19, and Chong Shin, 20.
The accident took place at about 11:45 p.m. on November 15. According to police reports, the four victims were in a Honda Civic driving down the hill on Deer Park Road when it collided with an oncoming vehicle at Sanitarium Road junction. The men were pronounced dead at the scene.
Friends say that the students had just finished playing basketball at the college gym and were on their way to Safeway in St. Helena to grab something to eat when the accident occurred.
All the young men were well known and liked on campus. Shin was involved in youth ministry at the Rohnert Park Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church. Nishikawa was the leader of a campus outreach program called Homeless Ministries. Just that morning, students say that Nishikawa had gone to the bay area with a group of students to feed the homeless.
"The PUC community mourns the loss of four wonderful young men who were already giving service back to the community," said Richard Osborn, college president. "Our entire campus is grieving along with their families. But as a faith based college, we have hope that springs from our beliefs as we celebrate all these young men accomplished in their brief lives."
Grief counselors, residence hall deans, and the campus chaplain began working with students during the night as news of an accident involving fellow students spread around campus. On Sunday, the college offered support groups and one-on-one counseling for the campus community.
At 5 p.m. the campus and community is invited to gather in the PUC Church for prayer. Counselors and pastors will continue to be available for counseling following this meeting. On Thursday, the college will hold a memorial service for the young men during their weekly colloquy at 10 a.m. in the college church.
Victims:
Luke Kotaro Nishikawa
Age: 22
Major: American History
Hometown: Honolulu, HI
Boaz Joshua Pak
Age: 20
Major: Biology, pre-pharmacy
Hometown: Hidden Valley, CA
Chong Whon Shin
Age: 20
Major: Business Administration, pre-dentistry
Hometown: Aloha, OR
Simon Chulmin Son
Age: 19
Major: Nursing
Hometown: Hidden Valley, CA
Source:
Julie Z. Lee
Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment Services
Pacific Union College
707-965-6303
707-815-6832
jzlee@puc.edu
www.puc.edu
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