‘Built-in best friend’: Family mourns student who died in chain of collisions on I-70
Dakota Hogan was gaming with his younger brother, Dawson, a night before the two brothers planned to get together for spring break.
Hogan, 21, who lives in Manhattan, was already at his family’s home in Salina. Dawson lived in Goodland and was planning to drive home on Friday, March 14.
“He was supposed to be here,” Hogan said over the phone. “He was coming home.”
Dawson was one of the eight people who lost their lives Friday in a 71-vehicle accident during a dust storm along I-70 between Goodland and Colby in western Kansas.
The crash, which injured dozens more, was one of the deadliest accidents in Kansas in recent years.
The agency said in an email Monday that it was still working to identify those who died and piece together what happened.
Ultimate competitor
Dawson, 20, was a student at Fort Hays Tech Northwest, where he was studying to become an electrician. He was set to graduate in May, Hogan said.
He was a member of the men’s wrestling team and was also involved in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and student life events. Growing up, sports were pivotal for the brothers.
Dawson dabbled in baseball, wrestling and football.
“When we were younger, everything was always competitive, just because we were so close in age, and he was my first little brother,” Hogan said. “I remember he was scared of me, where I was always chasing him around the house because I had the advantage. He started getting older and bulking up. I was like man, I’m kind of scared of you now.”
Hogan recalled getting to play one of his final games on the same team with his brother. It was his senior year and the Salina Central High School football team faced Northwest High School in Wichita.
“The last time we were talking about the game he had this video saved on his phone and pulled it up,” Hogan said. “It was me and him tackling the kid at the same time. It was a pretty awesome moment.”
Fort Hays Tech shared their sympathy for Dawson’s passing.
“Dawson was a vibrant presence on campus,” the school said in a social media post. “He excelled academically, recently earning a nomination for the National Honor Society. As a sophomore, he was on track to earn his journeyman license, graduate this semester and embark on a career in the electrical industry.”
Built-in best friend
Dawson kept his family close and spent a lot of time with them.
“We’d always have all of his friends here and all of my friends would come over and hang out, play pool in our basement,” Hogan said. “We’d always have movie nights here with our siblings.”
Hogan added: “We were with each other every single day. He was my built-in best friend.”
Many memories came to mind about Dawson and Hogan couldn’t pick just one.
“Every single one of his accomplishments felt the same to me, because it was all fresh,” Hogan said. “I’m so proud of him.”
Friends shared their condolences for Dawson on social media.
Kansas Highway Patrol trooper Ben Gardner, who is based in Salina, said he knew and coached Dawson in his youth, along with Gardner’s three boys.
“I remember Dawson wrestling with my own three boys in our wrestling room,” Gardner said on Facebook. “He was skilled, often operating at a level above my own kids. His dedication and talent not only elevated his own performance but also inspired those around him.”
A GoFundMe has been established to help Dawson’s family.