Designated Driver Held In Crash

A van carrying seven current and former Oregon State University fraternity brothers home from a party struck a utility pole early Saturday, killing one and injuring four others.

Matthew William Krull, 19, was thrown from the van and died at the scene.

Benton County sheriff’s deputies arrested the driver, Jolson Tharakan, 19, on charges of manslaughter, reckless endangerment and reckless driving.

Tharakan is accused of intentionally jerking the steering wheel back and forth before he lost control, police said. He was the designated driver for the evening, and police said there was no evidence he had been drinking.

“We don’t know why he was driving in that manner,” Lt. John Chilcote said. “It’s a strange irony that they were trying to be responsible with having a designated driver.”

Brian Scott Sunada, 20, was in critical condition Saturday night at Corvallis Good Samaritan Hospital while Scott Daniel Kuhnert, 18, was in serious condition.

Christopher Ryan Arnold, 19, and Ryan Edgar Beck, 22, were treated and released.

Andrew David Rice, 20, and Tharakan were not seriously injured.

The young men had been at a Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity-sponsored party at the Greenberry Grange Hall where police say all the passengers were drinking. They had traveled about three miles toward Corvallis on Oregon Highway 99W when police said Tharakan lost control about 1:45 a.m.