On a clear evening in early May, a catastrophic collision on U.S. Highway 20 near Henry’s Lake in eastern Idaho shattered the lives of seven people and left a community grappling with grief. The crash, which occurred just before 7:15 p.m. on May 1, 2025, involved a Dodge Ram pickup truck and a Mercedes passenger van carrying a tour group bound for Yellowstone National Park. The tragedy unfolded on a scenic two-lane road, a popular corridor for tourists flocking to the iconic park, located roughly 16 miles away. What should have been a joyful excursion for international visitors turned into a devastating loss, claiming the lives of six passengers and the pickup driver, while leaving eight others injured.
The driver of the pickup, 25-year-old Isaih Moreno from Humble, Texas, was identified by the Fremont County Coroner’s Office as one of the victims. Idaho State Police later revealed a sobering detail: Moreno’s blood alcohol content was 0.20, more than twice Idaho’s legal limit of 0.08. Investigators determined that Moreno’s truck crossed the center line, striking the eastbound tour van head-on. Both vehicles burst into flames upon impact, complicating rescue efforts on the remote stretch of highway. The scene was described as chaotic, with bystanders and a Fremont County sheriff’s deputy rushing to aid survivors as the van was engulfed in smoke and fire.
The Mercedes van, operated by Ctour Holiday LLC, a company specializing in international travel services, carried 14 passengers, including 12 Chinese nationals, one Italian, and a driver from California. Six of the van’s occupants perished in the crash, their identities later released by authorities. Among them were Jianping Li, 71, from Guangxi, China; Xiaoming Jiang, 66, from Guilin, China; Ivana Wen, 28, from Milan, Italy; Li Nie, 64, and Aifeng Wan, 53, both from Arcadia, California; and the van’s driver, Yu Zhang, 30, from Eastvale, California. The painstaking process of identifying the victims was delayed due to the severity of the crash, with the coroner relying on DNA testing to confirm identities. The surviving passengers were rushed to hospitals, with three airlifted to facilities in Bozeman, Montana, and Idaho Falls, Idaho, and others treated for injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.
The crash closed U.S. Highway 20 for nearly seven hours, disrupting traffic on a route that sees up to 9,000 vehicles daily during peak tourist season. The Idaho Transportation Department has long recognized the highway’s dangers, with plans for safety improvements still in the research phase. Since 2020, the area near the Idaho-Montana state line has seen multiple fatal crashes, underscoring the need for enhanced safety measures on this busy thoroughfare leading to Yellowstone, one of the nation’s largest national parks, which attracts millions of visitors annually.
Idaho State Police Capt. Chris Weadick called the incident a “wake-up call,” emphasizing the deadly consequences of impaired driving. “No one plans to cause a crash or take a life when they get behind the wheel, but choices have consequences,” he said. The tragedy has sparked renewed discussions about road safety and the perils of driving under the influence, particularly on highways frequented by tourists. As the investigation continues, authorities are working closely with the consulates of China and Italy to support the victims’ families, while the community mourns a loss that resonates far beyond Idaho’s borders.