Utah family rushes to help in fiery crash that claimed 7 lives near Yellowstone National Park

FREMONT COUNTY, Idaho (ABC4) — A Utah family driving back to their cabin in Island Park, Idaho Thursday evening found themselves at the center of a tragic scene on U.S. Highway 20 near Henrys Lake.

Terah Motzkus, along with her husband, children, and mother-in-law, had just left dinner in West Yellowstone around 7 p.m. when they came upon a crash involving a Dodge Ram pickup truck and a Mercedes passenger van. East Idaho News conducted an interview regarding their first-hand account.

“There was smoke and it looked like a big semi had rolled over, but as we got closer, we saw it was two different vehicles mashed into each other,” Motzkus told EastIdahoNews.com.

Motzkus and her husband jumped into action. While he ran to check the pickup truck’s driver — who appeared unresponsive — Motzkus went to the van, where some passengers had already made it out.

“Then we ran over to the van where four adults and a little girl had already gotten out,” she said. “We could see one passenger in the van and his hand was badly mangled. He was just saying, ‘Help! Help!’”

Others were still trapped inside. As flames began to spread under the vehicle, the Motzkuses and other bystanders searched for ways to break through the van. Motzkus’ husband grabbed an ax, and another passerby tried using a pry bar to peel back the door with no success.

“When we got there, there was a little fire under the van. As others started showing up, I was yelling to find a fire extinguisher,” Motzkus said. “Someone ran up with a fire extinguisher, but it really didn’t do much.”

People rushed to the scene and dumped water bottles on the flames, but the fire grew worse. A Fremont County Sherriff’s deputy arrived and also attempted to control the fire, but smoke began filling the vehicle.

“Another girl and I were pulling on a door with all our strength,” Motzkus said, her voice breaking. “It was just hard because we knew people were still in there. Everyone was just trying their best to get those doors open.”

The deputy managed to break a back window and pull one injured man to safety. Bystanders were able to pull two others out of a front window. Motzkus recalled helping a woman with a severe thigh laceration using diapers from her car.

“She just kept saying, ‘What happened? What happened?’” Motzkus said.

Seconds later, both vehicles became fully engulfed in flames. The Motzkuses stayed on scene, trying to help as much as they could.

“One of them – a woman – asked me to find her friend. She told me her name and kept saying, ‘Is my friend ok?’ I ran over to the other side and was never able to find the friend. I didn’t want to tell her she was probably inside,” Motzkus said through tears.

Idaho State Police said the van was carrying 13 international passengers — 12 from China and one from Italy — as part of a Yellowstone tour operated by Ctour Holiday. Emergency responders, including a medical helicopter and several ambulances, arrived at the scene. Three people were airlifted to hospitals in Bozeman and Idaho Falls, while others were transported by ambulance to Madison Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Seven people died in the crash, including the 25-year-old driver of the pickup, Isaiah Moreno. Officials said confirming the identities of the other victims may take time.

Rescue workers arrive to the scene after a deadly collision between a pickup truck and tour van near Henrys Lake State Park in eastern Idaho on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Courtesy of EastIdahoNews.com via Roger Merrill)

Motzkus and her family stayed at the scene for about an hour before returning to their cabin.

“The whole drive we cried and then I cried myself to sleep,” Motzkus said. “You go through all the scenarios of ‘what if.’ What if we had been able to get the door open or break a window or help someone else out. Then we think that it could have been us. We were right there with our babies in the car.”

The section of Highway 20 was closed for seven hours as investigators processed the scene, according to East Idaho News. A dark burn scar now marks the site of the crash — a grim reminder of the devastating incident.

“I just keep thinking about their families. It was so horrible,” Motzkus said.

For the Motzkus family, it was an evening that will live on in their memories, and a somber reminder of how fragile life can be.