GRANTSBURG, Wis (WSAU-Wheeler News) A foreign exchange student was killed, and two of his teenage hockey teammates were injured in one-vehicle crash in northwest Wisconsin. Sixteen-year-old Tim Zhanibekovich of Frederic died when the pick-up truck in which he was a passenger crashed Tuesday night on Highway 48. He and two other players from the Triple-“A” Northern Wisconsin Blizzard were heading to Grantsburg to catch a bus for a road game. All three lived in Frederic.
Tim was an exchange student from Kazakhstan. Conditions of the two survivors were not immediately available.
Burnett County authorities said the truck lost control on the snow-covered road, slid into a ditch, and struck a tree. Sheriff’s deputies said none of the three teens were wearing seat belts.
The Blizzard will play its final regular season game tonight in Grantsburg tonight, and Tim’s jersey number will be retired.
