News came early this morning of a seminary for the diocese of Kansas City, studying at Mundelein, who was killed in a car accident. He also had a blog, and you can read the comments on his poignant last post to see the reactions to the loss.

He died in a car accident. Another seminarian was seriously hurt and died later. These things don’t just happen. The driver, another seminarian, has been charged. As has a fourth passenger, also a seminary student:

Prosecutors have charged Robert Spaulding, 27, of Evansville, Wyo., with reckless homicide and driving under the influence, Mundelein Police Sgt. John Monahan said.

Matthew Molnar, 28, of Overland Park, Kan., died early Thursday at an area hospital after the car Spaulding was driving lost control and smashed into a tree around 1:45 a.m., Monahan said. Fellow passenger Jared Cheek, 23, of St. Marys, Kan., died of his injuries Friday morning, he said.

Authorities charged a fourth passenger, 36-year-old seminary student Mark Rowlands of Columbus, Ohio, with impersonating a police officer and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon after authorities found a handgun and old deputy badges inside the car, Monahan said.

[Note: There would seem to be a reason for this]

Archdiocese of Chicago spokeswoman Colleen Dolan said the students were driving back from having dinner at a restaurant when the car’s driver lost control of the vehicle when he swerved to avoid hitting a deer. Molnar and Cheek were sitting in the back seat and were ejected from the car, Dolan said.