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Father of two brain dead after alleged road rage incident

Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 10 years, 7 months AGO
| May 13, 2015 9:00 PM

IDAHO FALLS (AP) - A man is brain dead after being beaten unconscious in what police are calling a road rage incident in Idaho.

Father of two Josh Olzak was declared dead Monday at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. The Idaho Falls hospital said he's being kept on a ventilator so his organs can be donated over the next few days.

Authorities say the incident happened after Olzak left a bar early Saturday with friend Josh Loveless.

Loveless said three cars followed them and nearly ran them off the road. He said he and Olzak then stopped and left the vehicle, and a group of men attacked them.

"I think there's some maniacs out here in Idaho Falls," Amanda Loveless, Josh's wife, told KIDK. "They need to be found, because neither of these Joshes go out looking for problems."

Loveless underwent jaw surgery Monday, Amanda said.

Olzak family spokeswoman Melissa Foerster says Olzak lost all brain function after sustaining traumatic brain injuries.

Idaho Falls police spokeswoman Joleyn Hansen said no arrests have been made as of Tuesday.

An online fundraising page had raised more than $12,000 by Tuesday afternoon to help cover the costs of the medical bills and funeral arrangements.

"He had no insurance and this family desperately needs help with medical bills and funeral expenses," wrote Amanda Thompson, a family friend, who set the GoFundMe account.

"This was a very tragic and unexpected event. Josh was able to donate his organs; even in death, he is still giving."