TRAGIC: Dillon RReidenauer, a freshman student-athlete at LSU, was Killed during an on-campus crash
Two individuals, including a Louisiana State University (LSU) women’s pole vaulter, were killed in a car accident on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge Wednesday night, as confirmed by university officials.
Around 9:07 p.m. on Wednesday, a Honda Accord traveling south on Nicholas Drive attempted to turn left onto South Quad Drive when it was struck by a BMW motorcycle heading north on Nicholson Drive, according to a Baton Rouge Police Department statement issued Thursday.
Both the car’s driver and the motorcyclist, 23-year-old Bohdi Linton, were pronounced dead at the scene, police reported.
Dillon Reidenauer, 18, was identified as the driver of the car, LSU Athletics announced Thursday.
“We are devastated by the tragic loss of Dillon Reidenauer, who was taken from us far too soon,” said LSU track and field coach Dennis Shaver. “Everyone in our LSU Track & Field family is keeping Dillon’s loved ones in our thoughts and prayers, as well as those of the other individual lost in the incident.”
Reidenauer, a freshman at LSU studying interior design, was also a member of the women’s pole vault team. She was from Abita Springs, Louisiana, and had been one of the top high school pole vaulters in the state. She placed second in the 2024 LHSAA 5A Championships and fourth in the same event the year prior.
Described as “one of the best pole vaulters in Louisiana” in her LSU athletics bio, Reidenauer had been training under senior Johanna Duplantis, the sister of world-record holder Mondo Duplantis, who helped establish LSU as one of the top pole vaulting programs in the country.
@dailymail Louisiana State University pole vaulter Dillon Reidenauer was killed in a car accident this week at the age of 18. According to local reports, Reidenauer was in a car that was struck by a motorcyclist in Baton Rouge. The motorcyclist also died, with both vehicles reportedly going up in flames. The incident is believed to have occurred when the motorcycle T-boned the car as it turned left. Read the full story on DailyMail.com. Link in bio. #news #lsu #louisiana #polevault #rip
Shaver also expressed gratitude to Texas A&M for their support, as the LSU team was away at the SEC Championships in College Station at the time of the incident.
LSU Athletics assured they are providing resources and support for all student-athletes and staff affected by this tragedy.