BREAKING: Ben Carson Volunteer Dies After Crash

CASS COUNTY, IOWA — Ben Carson cancelled his Republican presidential campaign events Tuesday after a van carrying staffers crashed, sending one to the hospital, the campaign said in a statement.

At around 4:30 p.m. Central time on Jan. 19, 2016, the volunteer - Braden Joplin, a 25-year-old man from Texas - passed away, according to a statement by the campaign.

The van, which was transporting three volunteers and an employee, hit a patch of ice, flipped on its side and was hit by another vehicle, the statement said.

Joplin volunteer was transported to the trauma center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, the campaign said.

“Despite the best efforts of our medical staff, Joplin died just after 4:30 p.m. local time,” according to a statement from Taylor Wilson of Nebraska Medicine. “Carson plans to meet with Joplin’s family members once he arrives in Omaha later this evening to offer his condolences. He plans to issue a statement to the media after visiting with family.”

The two other volunteers and campaign employee were sent to Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa, the campaign said.

According to his online profile, Joplin was from Midland, TX, and was a student at Texas Tech.

“Dr. Carson has spoken with the family of the volunteer being transported to Omaha, as well as the attending physician,” the statement said. “Dr. Carson has cancelled all remaining campaign events today and will be traveling to Omaha this afternoon to be with the family during this difficult time.”

Carson’s website did not list any campaign events for Tuesday.

In a statement, Carson stated that campaigning with and meeting bright young men and women was “one of the precious few joys” of the process.

“America lost one of those bright young men today,” he noted. “I had the privilege of knowing Braden Joplin personally, and am filled with a deep and profound sadness at his passing. While we mourn this profound loss, I am thankful that our other campaign colleagues, Drew McCall, Aaron Ohnemus and Ryan Patrick Shellooe, have all been treated and released from the hospital. A presidential candidate asks a lot of his or her volunteers, working long hours in the cold, under-appreciated. They are the unsung heroes of the political process. The outpouring of support for Braden and his family from fellow candidates, as well as their staffs and volunteers, demonstrates that life will always transcend politics, and I thank them for their kind words. Please continue to keep Braden’s family and friends in your prayers as they struggle through this difficult time. Even after more than 30 years experience counseling parents and family members in the most difficult of times, it never gets easier. But I find solace in the knowledge of God’s redeeming grace, and I pray that Braden’s family finds comfort in the mercy of the Lord. Across America today, I ask everyone to take a moment to reflect on the preciousness of life and remember and honor the memory of Braden Joplin.”

Carson challenged Donald Trump for the top spot in national polls in early November and garnered up to 24.8 percent of support in a crowded Republican field, according to a RealClearPolitics average of national polls.

But Carson’s numbers have dropped to just 9 percent and No. 4 overall in the race behind Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio as of January 14.

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