Victims of Fallon triple-fatal ID'd

FALLON - Three young men who died Wednesday night in a single-vehicle crash on Sheckler Road were identified Thursday as Lee Riggins, 18; Tracy Bennett, 16; and Shawn Dewart, 25.

Emergency crews were called to the scene near 1672 Sheckler Road at about 6:30 p.m. to find the bodies of the men, who had been flung from a 1994 Jeep Cherokee as it rolled several times in a field off the south edge of the road.

None of the occupants were wearing seat belts, and alcohol is not suspected to be a factor, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol.

Riggins and Bennett were longtime Churchill County residents, and Dewart had moved to Fallon from Montana several months ago.

Bennett was a student at Fallon's Gateways to Success charter school.

Mary Olsen, Bennett's drama teacher at Gateways, sobbed as she spoke of his infectious smile.

"My heart is broken," she said.

"He was a precious young man. Everybody loved Tracy."

Riggins was also well-liked, friends said. He graduated last year from Churchill County High School and was attending the University of Nevada, Reno.

Leilani Fisher attended the 2004 prom with Riggins and remembered him as "hilarious."

"He always made things fun," she said, "And he was innovative about how he would do it."

In high school, Riggins was a varsity wrestler and football player as well as being involved with FFA.

Although he moved to Reno to attend college, Fisher said, he had started spending more of his off-time back in Fallon in the past few weeks.

Services for all three will be held in Fallon, with Riggins' on Tuesday.

A cause of the crash still had not been determined by Thursday night. An NHP spokesperson said the agency expected to have more information within the next couple of days.

Contact reporter Cory McConnell at cmcconnell@lahontanvalleynews.com