Ki-Be grad killed in crash weeks before starting classes in Spokane

Loren McGhan wanted to go college with his friends this fall.

That’s why he moved to Spokane from Benton City after graduating from Kiona-Benton City High School in June.

But his dream was cut short Thursday morning after he crashed his car about a mile south of Ritzville.

Washington State Patrol investigators aren’t sure why the 18-year-old lost control of his Chevy Cavalier on Highway 395.

He wasn’t wearing his seat belt, state troopers said, and was thrown from the car.

Facebook was flooded with posts from friends.

One was Tyler Perkins, who knew his fellow football player since moving to Benton City in sixth grade.

“Words cannot explain how much I am hurting right now,” he said in his post. “You were my best friend and we had lots of plans together, but unfortunately God had other plans for you.”

McGhan loved wrestling and football, and played both all four years at Ki-Be, Perkins said.

But more importantly, McGhan was the kind of friend that would help people no matter what time it was, Perkins said.

“He’d drive down to you. He’d bring you food if you needed it,” Perkins said. “When you hang out with him, you could never be sad. He was just a happy person.”

Whether they knew him through sports, school or work, the comments remembered him as a rare youth who worked hard and helped people.

A GoFundMe account was set up by McGhan’s family.

This story was originally published August 23, 2018 at 2:32 PM.