Penn State: Freshman Killed during THON Canning Trip

UPDATED @ 11:21 a.m. Dec. 4: The students who survived the crash are recovering, Penn State has reported. Meanwhile, services have been announced for Courtney O’Bryan, who died after the accident. An updated report is available on this page.

Earlier coverage is posted below.

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UPDATED @ 12:36 p.m. Dec. 3: Penn State has shared information about the four students who survived this crash. According to the university:

• Jena Pardhan, 18, was taken to Bradford Medical Center and is expected to be released soon.

• Lauren Bronstein, 18, was taken to Penn Medical Center and will undergo surgery.

• John Edwards, 20, was taken to Bradford Medical Center and is expected to be released.

• Chris Toner, 21, was taken to Kane Community Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He is said to be doing well.

Earlier coverage is posted below. (Note: Initial reports suggested that four students in all were involved. That number has since been updated to five. Also, contrary to earlier reports, this crash happened near Bradford, Pa. — not in Bradford County.)

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Earlier coverage, posted @ 11:14 a.m. Dec. 3:

A Penn State student has died and four others are hurt after a car crash late Friday near Bradford, Pa., the university reported.

The deceased is Courtney O’Bryan, 18, who was a freshman from Huntington, N.Y., according to Penn State.

The group was on a fundraising trip for the Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, or THON, the university noted. Their vehicle, en route to Buffalo, N.Y., reportedly hit some black ice and flipped over, according to a Penn State statement.

O’Bryan was reported to have been a passenger.

‘This is devastating news,’ Joe Puzycki, an assistant vice president for student affairs, said in a prepared statement. ‘We are all tremendously saddened to learn of the death of a student and deeply concerned for those who knew Courtney.

‘Our hearts go out to her family and friends,’ Puzycki went on. ‘We are reaching out to the parents of these students and all of the student body at this time. We’re urging students to take the utmost caution in their travels for any purpose.’

The extent of injuries suffered by the other students wasn’t immediately known, Penn State reported. Their identities were not immediately released.

This weekend marks one of several ‘canning weekends’ for THON participants, who travel to multiple states seeking donations. THON proceeds benefit pediatric-cancer treatment and research.

Penn State Live has released an announcement about the Friday crash on this page.

Earlier coverage

• StateCollege.com’s THON page