“I was just like ‘oh, fuck.’”

This was Daniel Strait’s initial reaction when his black Dodge Stratus collided with Austin Wonderlich, an ISU student, on Highway 30 at about 11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3.

“At first, I was like ‘crap.’ I hit my brakes, wasn’t really thinking at all, then he made contact,” Strait said, junior in criminal justice from Webster City, Iowa.

“He didn’t slow down. He just came sprinting across.”

Nearly one hour after the Cyclones were defeated by Texas, an hour after traffic drained out of the stadium, Strait was driving west on Highway 30 toward his apartment at University Plains.

“I knew there was a game. We kept up on the score at work,” Strait said. “I had to work at Target until 11. I got off work and was just driving home back to my apartment on 30 when it happened.”

The accident occurred on Highway 30, west of University Boulevard between exits 144 and 146. Strait, who said he was driving no more than 57 miles per hour at the time, said he was driving in the right lane when Wonderlich, a 23-year-old in agricultural studies, emerged from the ditch in the median.

“It was a mile in between either exit. He came out of the median. I can’t see him down there because there’s a dip there, and as soon as he came up I hit my brakes,” Strait said. “I slammed my brakes and tried to swerve out of the way, but it wasn’t enough time.”

The windshield of Strait’s Dodge Stratus shattered.

Strait pulled over to the side of the road and ran to where he could find Wonderlich. A man traveling behind Strait stopped and helped call 911. Strait recalled that he tried to check on Wonderlich but was told not to disturb him by the dispatcher in case of injuries.

Strait said Iowa State Patrol was on the scene within minutes.

Trooper Darren Borst performed CPR on Wonderlich until medics arrived. The state patrol report stated that Wonderlich’s injuries were fatal.

Borst and Sgt. Scott Bright, who is in media relations, could not be reached for comments on Friday.

Randy Kunert, District 1 commander, said Wonderlich was taken to the state medical examiner’s office. An autopsy report might not be available for up to three weeks.

“We suspect alcohol was involved, but we won’t know until we actually get the results back from the State Medical Examiner’s office,” Kunert said.

“At this time I wouldn’t be able to tell you whether this individual was trying to commit suicide, if he was intoxicated or if he just made a bad mistake and his timing and judgment were poor. I don’t know,” Kunert said.

Strait was given a breathalyzer to confirm that alcohol was not involved and was able to leave the scene at about midnight.

Strait said he has not yet been in contact with Wonderlich’s family. He said he would be more than willing to speak with them if they contacted him, but he did not know what Wonderlich’s family would feel was appropriate.

“If I had maybe just spent two minutes longer at work, if I had maybe been going like 60 or going under the speed limit, so I wouldn’t have been there at the same time,” Strait said.