LEWISPORTE, Newfoundland -- Three professional wrestlers were killed and a fourth suffered a broken leg when their van ran off the Trans-Canada Highway into a brook, police said Tuesday.
Police identified the dead wrestlers as Keith Franke, 35, of Bakersfield, Calif., who wrestled under the name 'Adorable Adrian Adonis'; Dave McKigney, 56, of Aurora, Ontario, better known as 'Farmer Dave' or 'The Canadian Wildman,' and driver Victor Arko, 40, of Hamilton, Ontario.
Arko's identical twin, William, survived the crash and was taken to a hospital in St. John's, Newfoundland, where he was operated on Tuesday to repair a badly broken leg. The Arkos wrestled under the names Pat and Mike Kelly.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police think Arko may have swerved to avoid a moose, causing the van to crash into the rocky embankment of Neil's Brook, a body of water 15 feet wide and one foot deep.
The accident occurred about 9:30 p.m. local time Monday, but the sun was still shining because Newfoundland is on double daylight savings time, RCMP Sgt. John MacKinnon said.
'We don't know what caused them to go off the road -- whether they encountered a moose or for some other reason,' MacKinnon said. 'It's not uncommon for a moose to walk out onto the highway here, but we won't be able to speak with the survivor until Frdiay to find out what happened.'
The wrestlers were en route from Gander, Newfoundland, to an engagement 50 miles away in Grand Falls. Lewisporte is halfway between the two points on the northern coast of Newfoundland.
