Name released for teen killed in Rice County collision

Rice County authorities have released the name of the teenager killed in a two-vehicle collision northwest of Sterling this week.

Jacob Oden, 15, was a passenger in a Dodge Dakota traveling north that was struck on the passenger side by a westbound Nissan Maxima at the intersection of 14th Road and Avenue U about a mile northwest of Sterling shortly after 11:20 a.m. Wednesday, Rice County Undersheriff Brian Treaster said in a statement.

Oden was ejected from the Dakota and died at the scene. The driver of the Dakota, 17-year-old Jon Oden Jr., suffered minor injuries in the collision and was treated and released at a hospital, Treaster said. The Odens live in Sterling.

The driver of the Maxima, 53-year-old Tom Kelly of Sterling, was transported to Via Christi Hospital St. Francis, where he was in critical condition Friday morning.

Treaster said the height of a growing corn field had made 14th and U “a blind intersection” and that may have been a factor in the collision.

This story was originally published August 5, 2016 at 9:36 AM with the headline "Name released for teen killed in Rice County collision."