BYU track athlete killed in accident

PROVO — A Provo Canyon car accident early Friday morning claimed the life of a blossoming Brigham Young University track athlete and critically injured a former BYU track star with Olympic aspirations.

Chelsi Petersen, 20, was riding with Olympic sprinter hopeful Paul Smith, 24, when they turned left off U.S. 189 in Provo Canyon toward Squaw Peak Road in front of an oncoming car just after midnight.

Petersen was killed and Smith was injured, hospitalized in critical but stable condition with a punctured lung, broken ribs and a broken clavicle.

Petersen, a St. George native who competed at Dixie High School, was the girlfriend of BYU quarterback James Lark, who is currently serving an LDS Church mission.

Friends and coaches of Petersen gathered Friday to console each other and reminisce about their freshman teammate.

"They called us the twins," said Mindy Robins, Petersen's best friend and a fellow freshman teammate. "We were always together. We were best friends."

Robins said they went to dinner together and got ice cream at least once a week after spending hours training.

Both freshmen competed in the heptathlon, a seven-event competition that includes the 100-meter hurdles, the high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, then the next day the long jump, the javelin and an 800-meter run.

"We helped each other, we pushed each other," Robins said, tears filling her eyes. "I can't even imagine what it's going to be like without her."

The team is gathering photos to make a memory book and quilt for Petersen's family, Robins said.

Assistant track and field coach and Petersen's event coach, Dick Legas, said he wants to honor Petersen by presenting her family with a letter blanket — the traditional senior gift with a giant Y, Chelsi's name and the year she competed with BYU track.

Legas said despite her young age, Petersen had a sparkling personality and an incredible work ethic, practicing often above and beyond what was asked of her.

"She (was becoming) a team leader without trying to be," he said.

Legas said they often talked about what Petersen planned to do with her life. He said she was madly in love with her high school sweetheart, Lark, who starred at crosstown rival Pine View High and redshirted with the BYU football team in 2006 before leaving on his LDS mission following the 2007 season.

"She said, 'I am going to be here for him when he comes back,' so that's an extra heartache," Legas said.