Junior hockey player fighting for life after car crash
Monday, October 23, 2006

Posted by MAC@GSH

Rob Vanstone, CanWest News Service; Regina Leader Post Published: Monday, October 23, 2006 REGINA - The Moose Jaw Warriors spent an emotionally wrenching Sunday praying for the recovery of left-winger Garrett Robinson, who was seriously injured in an early-morning car accident. Robinson, 18, was in critical condition with trauma to the brain at Regina General Hospital, where he underwent surgery Sunday. ''All indications from the surgeon and the doctors involved are the next 48 to 72 hours will be a critical time,'' Warriors general manager Chad Lang said during a late-afternoon media briefing in Regina. ''The only thing that they could really tell was that there was swelling with the brain,'' Lang added. ''Now it's just a process to see if they can control that swelling.'' Robinson was injured Sunday at 6:41 a.m., shortly after the Warriors returned from a weekend road trip to Alberta. After the bus was unloaded outside the Moose Jaw Civic Centre, Warriors right-winger Carter Smith offered to drive two teammates Robinson and goaltender Joey Perricone to their billets. Smith's vehicle collided with a pickup truck en route. Lang said Robinson, who was in the front passenger seat, absorbed the brunt of the blow. Perricone was in the back seat, behind the driver. The Jaws of Life were required to free the players from the mangled car. Perricone, 19, and Smith, 18, were treated at Moose Jaw Union Hospital for minor injuries before being released. Robinson was transported to Regina and admitted to the General's intensive-care unit. Lang was notified of the accident around 7 a.m., at which point he contacted Robinson's parents, CONTINUED

the Warriors' coaches and the Western Hockey League team's players. The players received details of the accident during a team meeting at the Civic Centre.

The players attended mass as a group on Sunday. They were also to convene around suppertime in Moose Jaw.

''We've got counsellors coming in to deal with each of our players,'' Lang said. ''Our players and our organization are a tight-knit family. We'll get together and support each other in any way possible.''

Lang arranged to fly Robinson's parents into Regina from their home in Surrey, B.C. Robinson's 21-year-old brother Matt, who spent last season with the Regina Pats, was to arrive in the Queen City on Sunday night. Matt Robinson is now a member of the East Coast Hockey League's Alaska Aces.

''Given the situation, they're doing very well,'' said Lang, who is speaking on behalf of the family. ''We as an organization felt it was very important to surround Garrett with his family members.''

The Moose Jaw Police Service said charges are pending against the driver of the truck. Police believe alcohol may have been a factor.

''Alcohol was not involved with our players,'' Lang said. ''Right now, I think it's still under investigation whether the driver of the pickup truck was involved with any alcohol, but I want to make it clear that it was not our players. Our players arrived back home roughly 45 minutes before the accident occurred.''

Lang spoke with Perricone and Smith, who escaped with minor cuts and bruises.


''They're more shaken up on Garrett's situation,'' the Warriors' GM said. ''They're both in shock ... Unfortunately for them, it's wrong place, wrong time. They couldn't do anything. It was out of their control. We just pray that everything works out for Garrett and his family.''

Robinson is in his third season with the Warriors. This season, he has two assists and eight penalty minutes in eight games the most recent being Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Red Deer Rebels.

The team is expected to cancel today's practice. The Warriors are not scheduled to return to action until Friday, when they are to visit the Prince Albert Raiders.

The WHL has asked Warriors players to withhold comment while the accident is under investigation.

''Everyone within the WHL is very shaken by this terrible accident,'' league commissioner Ron Robison said in a prepared statement. ''Our thoughts and prayers are with Garrett's family and the entire Moose Jaw Warriors organization.''

Regina Leader-Post