Two Dallas Baptist University students were killed and three others were injured in a two vehicle crash Saturday night, police say.
The crash happened shortly before midnight when a 21-year-old woman driving westbound in the 2100 block of Mountain Creek Parkway hit the back of another vehicle, police said.
In a statement Sunday afternoon, the university confirmed that five of its students were involved in the crash just east of DFW National Cemetery.
Two first-year students, Kaitlyn Kotzman and Karina de la Rosa, were killed. Both had been passengers in the car that was hit, according to police.
The three other students had injuries not thought to be life-threatening and were recovering, the university said.
“We are devastated by this horrible loss of life,” university President Adam C. Wright said in a written statement. “We are praying for the families of all those involved as they process through this tragedy.”
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Jerry Kotzman said his 18-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, was studying psychology and counseling at Dallas Baptist University. He said her goal was to set up a non-profit to help inner city kids.
“If you had a picture of love of somewhere, you would probably have Jesus and then Kaitlyn, that's just how it was, she loved everybody," her father said. "From the time she was just a little kid, even now she didn't know a stranger. She loved everybody and became instant friends with everybody. She had this zest for life. She loved living life," her father said.
Kotzman said his daughter lived next door to de la Rosa in the same dorm and that the two first semester freshman had “jelled and clicked” together.
"Kaitlyn loved God, family and Life,” Kotzman said. “She always has a heart for everybody.”
The husband and father of two said he'll miss his youngest daughters humor and hugs. He said it's their faith which is helping he and his family get through this.
“The faith that we have in Christ and his faith in us to go through this is real. I mean its easy to have faith when things are good that’s easy, it’s easy to talk about the goodness of God when things are good, but when things go south, that’s when it becomes real," Koztman said. "We’ve had our moments of strength and weakness. I’ve shifted between left brain, being busy, and right brain, I'm a mess, but that strength and comfort [from God] has always been here and without it, I'd be a total mess right now."
Police did not say whether the driver of the vehicle that crashed into the car faced any charges.
The university will hold a campus-wide prayer service at 7 p.m. Monday in Pilgrim Chapel.
The school will also be providing counseling to classmates and friends of the students.
