BOISE, Idaho — Idaho police have disclosed the identities of six individuals who lost their lives in a devastating collision near Yellowstone National Park earlier this month. The victims were from China, Italy, and California and were traveling in a tour van when it was struck by a pickup truck in a fiery crash.
According to Idaho State Police, the tragic incident occurred on May 1 and claimed the lives of Jianping Li, 71, from Guangxi, China, and Xiaoming Jiang, 66, from Guilin, China. The crash also took the life of Ivana Wen, 28, from Milan. From California, Li Nie, 64, and Aifeng Wan, 53, both residents of Arcadia, were also among the deceased. Yu Zhang, the 30-year-old driver of the van from Eastvale, California, tragically lost his life as well.
An earlier statement from Idaho police mistakenly listed Jian Shi, 56, from Shanghai, as deceased. However, they later clarified that Shi survived the crash with injuries. The corrected information included Li as one of those who died. Out of the van’s 14 occupants, 13 were passengers, with 12 having Chinese nationality and one being Italian. Survivors of the crash were promptly transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The driver of the pickup truck also perished in the crash. Authorities identified him as Isaih Moreno from Humble, Texas. Investigations have revealed that Moreno’s Dodge Ram veered across the center line, resulting in a head-on collision with the Mercedes van driven by Zhang. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to the truck crossing into the opposite lane.
The accident took place on a highway located south of West Yellowstone, Montana. This route is commonly used to travel between Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in spring before the north-south road is cleared and the park fully opens for summer visitors.
Yellowstone National Park, predominantly situated in Wyoming but also stretching into Montana and Idaho, is a major attraction, drawing millions of tourists annually. It is renowned for Old Faithful, its iconic geyser, and a variety of wildlife including wolves, bison, and over 50 other mammal species. According to the latest comprehensive data from a 2016 park visitor use study, 17% of Yellowstone’s visitors were international, with 34% hailing from China and 11% coming from Italy.