Tragic ending for Brian Statum, a two-time state wrestling champ and star athlete

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Elsewhere here at mcall.com you can read about a tragic car accident early today that took the life of Brian Statum, age 54, of Bethlehem.

Statum was one of Liberty High School's greatest athletes of the 1970s, winning back-to-back 3A state wrestling championships at 155 pounds in 1975 and 1976. He was also an outstanding football player, a running back, at Liberty. He played on several outstanding Barry Fetterman-coached teams that included Jim Villani, Rich Garza, and Mike Lutseo. Statum was a 1976 Liberty graduate.

A source told me he went to Maryland on a wrestling scholarship, but didn't finish.

According to Pam Lehman's report on mcall.com, Statum died in an accident early Tuesday morning in Bethlehem. Here's Pam story if you haven't read it elsewhere:

Bethlehem police are investigating a fatal crash that happened early Tuesday morning, according to a news release.

According to the release:

Around 1:20 a.m., police received a 911 call to report a vehicle crash in the 600 block of Conestoga Street.
An officer arrived to find a one-vehicle crash. Police said the driver, identified as Brian Alfred Statum, had struck an unoccupied parked vehicle. Statum was unresponsive.

Statum was taken to St. Luke's Hospital-Fountain Hill and was pronounced dead shortly before 2 a.m. A news release states Statum, 54, lived in the 900 block of Broadway in Bethlehem.

Police are investigating how the crash occurred and released no further details.

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/2011/09/tragic-ending-for-brian-statum-a-two-time-state-wrestling-champ-and-star-athlete.html