UPDATED: Mack Motzko, son of Minnesota Gopher men’s hockey head coach, died in a car accident

The University of Minnesota Sports Department issued a brief statement on Sunday morning.

“We have destroyed Bob, Shelley, their family and everyone involved,” said Mark Coyle, Gophers ’sports director. “This is an incomprehensible tragedy, and we are doing everything we can to support the victims. We are asking for privacy for families because they are grieving for the loss of a loved one.”

Graduated from Holy Cloud Cathedral High School in 2020, Motzko played in two state hockey tournaments for the Crusaders and spent last season with the USHL Sioux Falls Stampede and the NAHL New Mexico Ice Wolves. Mack played his junior season in Minnetonka, after the Motzko family moved to the Twin Cities in 2018 when Bob was hired as Gophers coach.

At 11:47 p.m. Saturday night, Orono police reported a fatal accident at the intersection of North Shore Drive and Bohns Point Road. In the initial report, one person died at the scene and two others were seriously injured. An earlier police report said it was responsible for a one-vehicle accident on the north shore of Orono 3120. A high-speed vehicle left the road and hit several trees.

In the front seat, a 24-year-old passenger died at the scene. The 51-year-old driver and Motzko in the back seat were critically injured and transported to North Memorial Medical Center. Motzko later died at the hospital.

The press release stated that alcohol and speed appear to affect the factors in the accident, and the case is still under investigation.