An early-morning crash at the 90-degree turn on the Willwood Highway (Wyo. 295) on Tuesday claimed the life of a Powell man.Zeb Sand, 31, was driving south on the Willwood Highway toward his Lane 13 home just before 3 a.m. when he apparently fell asleep while traveling at a high rate of speed. Sand missed the Willwood turn, and his 1999 Corvette rolled, ejecting him.

Sand was transported to Powell Valley Hospital, then flown to a Billings hospital, where he was pronounced brain dead. He remained on life support until Wednesday afternoon to preserve his organs and tissues for possible transplant.

Firefighers at the accident scene combed the area with flashlights, looking for a possible second victim after they learned a receipt for two dinners and drinks was found in Sand's pocket.

Sand's belongings and debris from the car were found as far as 500 feet or more from the vehicle, but Sand was the vehicle's only occupant at the time.

Gerald “Lee” Reed said Sand was his step-grandson, “but really, a grandson,” he said.

Besides being father and son, Lenny and Zeb Sand also were best friends, Reed said. Zeb Sand was returning to his Willwood-area home that morning after having dinner with his dad in a Powell restaurant.

After hearing the news that morning, “Lenny was pretty well tore up,” Reed said. “He pretty much raised the kid.”

Reed said Zeb Sand talked his dad into giving him the Corvette.

“That's what got him,” he said.

No information about the crash was available from the Wyoming Highway Patrol on Tuesday, and officers were unavailable on Wednesday as it was a holiday.