Carson Campaign Volunteer Dies from Van Crash in Iowa

20672640916_a2074b40d8_oBy Kimberly Wilborn 1/20/2016

A 25-year-old volunteer for Ben Carson’s presidential campaign has died in a van crash in Iowa.

The van, carrying three campaign volunteers and a paid staffer hit ice on a slick road, flipped on its side and was hit by another vehicle Tuesday morning. Braden Joplin died of his severe injuries later Tuesday at an Omaha hospital.
Three other of Carson’s campaign workers were also injured in the accident and sent to a nearby hospital in Atlantic, Iowa.

Carson, in South Carolina at the time of the accident, suspended his campaign events for the rest of the day. He’d planned to visit Omaha, specifically the Nebraska Medical Center where Joplin was being treated.

Carson posted on his Twitter Page Tuesday night, along with a picture of him and the young volunteer:  “Rest In Peace Braden Joplin. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

Carson’s campaign also released a statement saying: “One of the precious few joys of campaigning is the privilege of meeting bright young men and women who are so enthusiastic about their country that they will freely give of their time and energy to work on its behalf. America lost one of those bright young men today.”

A spokesperson for Texas Tech University, where Braden Joplin attended school, said Joplin’s death was a great loss.

Other presidential candidates such as Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Martin O’Malley shared their condolences via Twitter. Democratic candidate, Bernie Sanders also expressed his condolences for the young staffer at a rally in Iowa city.