Another tragic teen / truck accident

[finger_lakes]

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/...EWS01/70627002

[Twilight Flyer]

That's heartbreaking. For those 5 young lives to be snuffed out like that. And there's no one to blame, either...the driver did nothing wrong, yet it will haunt him for the rest of his life. At least the paper didn't try to make him out to be the bad guy. You hate this for everyone involved.

[BanditsCousin]

Its the mentality that people have that they have to pass anything going the speed limit or 5mph over. Its a shame they died, but thats what happens when you don't plan a pass manuever carefully. Vehicles are worse than guns when it comes to taking lives. They both are great when used responsibly and horrible when used recklessly.

[Jackrabbit379]

Yeah, I agree, Bandit. It is sad, yes. Yet, if I read right, I see this all the time. Folks passing on a 2-lane highway in no-passing zones. It is a very sad situation.

[Twilight Flyer]

From what I've read on the accident, she had completed the pass safely but then for whatever reason, swerved back into the path of the truck. Makes no sense....

[Ridge Runner]

Can someone please post the article here for me. For some strange reason I can't seem to go to that site.


Thanks,

Ridge

[Twilight Flyer]

Five Fairport grads killed in crash as four others watch in car behind


Victoria E. Freile and Gary Craig
Staff writers


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June 27, 2007 3:20 pm — The community of Fairport is in shock and mourning today for five young graduates of Fairport High School killed late last night when their SUV collided head-on with a tractor-trailer in Ontario County.

The girls who died — Hannah Congdon, 18, Bailey Goodman, 17, Meredith McClure, 17, Sara Monnat, 18, and Katherine “Katie” Shirley, 18 – had just graduated Thursday. All had been FHS cheerleaders at some point in their high school careers.
“It’s a community nightmare...I’m personally devastated,” school Principal Dave Paddock said today. “Our hearts are broken. We love our kids and are crying.”

The collision of the two vehicles was so forceful that both erupted into flames.

“The fire trapped the five girls in the SUV. They were unable to escape,” said Lt. Bill Gallagher of the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office. “Both vehicles were engulfed. There was no chance for rescue.”

Sheriff Philip Povero said it was “clear that the fierceness of the impact caused various fuel lines to rupture,” causing both vehicles to ignite.

For Fairport students, many who’d graduated with the five, the celebratory mood of summer was transformed into grief for the friends they’d known. Four other girls, who were following the SUV in a second vehicle, witnessed the fatal crash.

“It’s really sad, but it’s a little better than last night,” said Fairport graduate Keisha Koneski, who was in the vehicle traveling behind the SUV. “When you turn around there’s someone to hug you.”

According to Povero, the nine girls were traveling in the two vehicles to the Goodman family cottage on Keuka Lake when the accident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. on a stretch of Routes 5 and 20 just east of Flat Iron Road in East Bloomfield.

David M. Laverty, 50, of Olean was driving the tractor-trailer west on Routes 5 and 20 when he saw the sport utility vehicle, a Chevrolet Trailblazer which was traveling east, pass another eastbound vehicle in front of Laverty’s rig, Laverty told deputies.

Police said Laverty told them the SUV made it back into the eastbound lane, then crossed back over the center line and hit the tractor-trailer head-on. Both vehicles burst into flames. Laverty escaped uninjured.

Keisha said it appeared Bailey, who was driving the SUV, tried to pass a van that was driving slowly in the right lane. After almost passing the van, she said, it appeared Bailey may have thought the van was swerving into her lane and she jerked back into the left lane, running head-on into the tractor-trailer.

“We saw the truck and we all started screaming,” Keisha said. “We were all best friends and we just wanted to go out and lay on the deck and go out on the boat.”

Keisha and the other three girls in the second vehicle were unharmed.

Alerted to the tragedy by Paddock and others in the community, nearly 100 Fairport students and others gathered before daybreak today as a solemn remembrance.

Paddock said they watched the sun rise together.

“The sun came up,” he said. “I’m not sure we all thought it would.”

School staff, classmates and cheerleading teammates portrayed the accident victims as seniors who could be serious about their sport and academics, yet fun-loving and light-hearted.

Elaine Deignan, the cheerleading coach, said, “They were the nicest girls. They were the most respectful, pleasant and fun to be around. Just really good people.”

Kelly Ludwig, who also graduated this year, said, “Hannah always had the biggest smile on her face. It lit up the crowd everywhere she went. Everyone loved her.”

Kristina Chapell, a rising junior and cheerleader, said Bailey was her “Big Sister” who helped her adjust to life at high school. On her very first day at high school – a day often intimidating for new high-schoolers – Bailey met her in the hallway with a warm welcome.

“She was the entertainer,” Kelly said of Bailey. “She made everyone laugh.”
Meredith, teammates say, was the team’s hardest worker, willing to take on any stunt. “She was always the first one to be jumping, to be tumbling -- to do anything,” said teammate Tracy Critelli, a rising senior.

Tracy said Sara was her support system on cheerleading, convincing her she could succeed at anything. “She was very mature,” Tracy said. “She gave great advice about everything.”

Katie hadn’t been on the cheerleading squad since she was a freshman, but stayed closed with the girls. Keisha said Katie was much like Hannah – constantly smiling and positive.

“She tried to keep people happy,” said her father, Patrick Shirley. Katie loved to scrapbook and had covered her bedroom walls with hundreds of pictures of her friends. “They depended on each other,” said her mother, Katherine Shirley.
Today’s outpouring of support was evidence of the bond between the classmates and the community.

“Our community gets so close and does so much for our kids. It is like we just lost five daughters,” said Debra Tandoi, the school district’s community asset coordinator who accompanied Hannah and Bailey to a trip to India last year. “Everyone is feeling that loss and is stunned.”

Hannah and Sara were members of the Church of the Assumption in Fairport. The regular 11:15 a.m. mass today filled with friends of the crash victims.

“There were probably 300 kids here,” said the Rev. Ed Palumbos.

He said another service is planned at 7 p.m. tonight at St. John of Rochester Church, where Meredith was in the church’s Youth Group.

Paddock said he wants to hold a community memorial service at the school later this week -- to give community members the chance to remember the teens.

School counselors will all be available into the evening, Paddock said.

“They were angels on earth -- now they are angels in heaven,” he said

Includes reporting by staff writer Nicole Lee.

[Ridge Runner]

Thank you TF. This is very sad indeed. :sad:

[Doghouse]

Its so easy to lose control of SUV's when you attempt a quick lane change,..she probably saw the headlights from the truck,..jumped back into her lane, and then lost control.
Its sad, their families, friends, and the truck driver will never fully get beyond this.

[Ridge Runner]

I have had a couple of close calls were the out come for the ones in the car would have been dire. ( I'm sure anyone who has been driving has had them. ) Afterwards I always take a deep breath and reflect on how this would affect me and others had it turned out for the worse. My heart goes out to all of the people involved.

[TK THE TRUCKER]

I was going to post this when I got home but it's already done. It's very sad. I live in the town on the east side of Fairport and travel through East Bloomfield often. They didn't even get to enjoy being a high school graduate.

Some of the local news people have already made a big deal out of the fact that a truck was involved, trying to put a spin on it. They say trucks shouldn't go down this road, why are they there, the speed limit should be lowered because of trucks, blah blah blah. Meanwhile the road is a State Route, one lane each way, the speed limit is appropriately reduced in the right areas in my opinion, it's fairly straight, the shoulder is quite big, bigger than most, and there's not a lot of traffic on this road at all compared to others in the area, and finally it's wasn't the driver's fault at all !!!!! If they want to lower what little truck traffic is on this road they should bitch about the New York State Thruway tolls. Some drivers use this route (Routes 5 and 20) to avoid the Thruway because at an average of 22 cents a mile for an 18 wheeler the drivers would rather keep the money in their pocket.

Anyways, this is a real tragedy and it is terrible that it happened, It just pissed me right off when I got home and watch the 6 o'clock news and they talking to the DOT about trucks. :? :?

[RedRaven]

The reason these girls died was, because there were 5 of them in the SUV... All it takes is one person to distract the driver, or play around in the vehicle, pushing the driver, or throwing things around in a vehicle, passing a cell phone, whatever... Kids just don't pay attention, and the worst thing kids do, is to rely on one of their passengers to tell them if they have clear access to make a maneuver. Watched a kid pull out onto a main road from a stop sign, with 4 people in his SUV. He looked one way, but not the other, and one of his passengers admitted to telling the driver to "just go"... He listened, and was struck on the drivers side by an oncoming SUV... YOU never listen to passengers, you always make sure you as the driver can see clearly what's in front of you, and to either side of you, as well as your blind spots, before you ever attempt to make a manuever... That's why in this region they are restricting teen drivers from having any passengers in their vehicles, period... Sometimes you get to live, and learn, and sometimes you die for your mistakes...

[Mack2]

The reason these girls died was, because there were 5 of them in the SUV... All it takes is one person to distract the driver, or play around in the vehicle, pushing the driver, or throwing things around in a vehicle, passing a cell phone, whatever... Kids just don't pay attention, and the worst thing kids do, is to rely on one of their passengers to tell them if they have clear access to make a maneuver. Watched a kid pull out onto a main road from a stop sign, with 4 people in his SUV. He looked one way, but not the other, and one of his passengers admitted to telling the driver to "just go"... He listened, and was struck on the drivers side by an oncoming SUV... YOU never listen to passengers, you always make sure you as the driver can see clearly what's in front of you, and to either side of you, as well as your blind spots, before you ever attempt to make a manuever... That's why in this region they are restricting teen drivers from having any passengers in their vehicles, period... Sometimes you get to live, and learn, and sometimes you die for your mistakes...

Dang for once I agree with you. :shock:

It is sad but it was just plain stupid to have 5 teenage girls in one vehicle.

Have you seen the way teenagers drive and pay attention? :shock: Most shouldn't be alowed to drive.

Belive it or not this is coming from a teen I drive but I've never had a wreck and never been pulled over.

[Jackrabbit379]

Well, it is very sad.

[BigWheels]

Very sad...tears in the eyes for the families, friends, community....

Praying for comfort...and eventual peace for the families and friends. Praying that our fellow trucker will not blame himself, will not end his driving career, that any nightmares will be minimal and that he will experience peaceful sleep over time....

This story impacted me in another way:

This evening, my daughter (10-yrs old) witnessed a horrific crash at an intersection down the street from our house. She ran screaming and crying back into the house. My wife ran down to the intersection while I grabbed a phone and dialed 9-1-1. One car t-boned another one. Both drivers (no passengers) will be OK but the one guy who wasn't wearing a seat belt may have some neck/back injuries....

This event happened less than 3-weeks after my wife and daughter came across an accident scene where a sheet was drawn over a body....

Disturbing images for a 10-year old girl....

[golfhobo]

I'm sorry, maybe I missed it, but could someone please tell me WHERE Fairport is? Or Ontario County?

This accident is indeed tragic! I cannot imagine the sorrow that the community must feel. These "post graduate" accidents are ALWAYS SOoooo "senseless"..... and yet they continue.

Kids today are not taught what destruction can be caused by an accident. The public, in general, is not taught how to drive with RESPECT for the MASS of a CMV. And some don't realize what harm they cause by driving so far BELOW the speed limit, that it "begs" others to pass them in unsafe conditions.

I was almost involved in an accident on my way home tonight. The car merging in front of me went door handle to door handle with one who wouldn't "yield" although the lane to the left of him was open. Had I not seen their intention, I could have put BOTH cars in the ditch!

I feel mostly for the truck driver, and hope I am NEVER in his shoes! You don't want to hear what I think of young drivers today, especially girls in daddy's big SUV!

There was another wreck this week that claimed the lives of 4 or 5 teens, when they SPED across a train track that happened to be occupied by a TRAIN!!

These "post graduate" accidents are becoming so common, that I'm starting to agree with the "natural selection" views of some of the posters here.

I probably should have died a few times MYSELF, in accidents that did or did not happen. So who am I to judge? Just a 50 year old fart with a professional truck driver's license, who somehow survived the IDIOT years!

[Phantom433a]

Golfhobo, TK mentioned that he lived there (other side) and the NY toll roads, so my guess is NY.

TK THE TRUCKER, Make sure you send a letter to the editor as well as the news stations that are trying to spin it so the driver was at fault. Include a copy of the article if need be.

Unfortunatly too many of the younger generation thinks they are invincible, and didn't we all at that age? Like Golfhobo said

who somehow survived the IDIOT years!

. Its amazing things we did, only to see someone doing those things now....and we sit, shake our heads and call them idiots.

My heart goes out to the families, 5 young lives snuffed out before they could really experience life, no parent should have to bury a child.

[golfhobo]

Phantom quoted me and said:

Unfortunatly too many of the younger generation thinks they are invincible, and didn't we all at that age? Like Golfhobo said

Thanks, for bailing me out in sense. I don't mean to sound cold hearted. But, that is EXACTLY the word I was trying not to say! INVINCIBLE!

Put a young kid in a huge SUV, with more horsepower than they should EVER need, and put them on a country road towards a PARTY, and they DO feel "invincible." Unfortunately, many either don't have the driving skills, or the experience with so much horsepower, and it's an accident waiting to happen!

I can't imagine the pain of the parents. "That big huge SUV should have protected them!" No.... I'm sorry.... but you should have protected them by teaching them better driving skills!

FIVE beautifull (sp?) young girls vanished from the lives of those who loved them for WHAT? Is it because we have placed more importance on teaching them how to use a condom than a steering wheel???

People.... we have to WAKE UP!!! Before it is YOUR daughter!!! Speed KILLS!!! Just as suredly as guns kill, and drugs, and .... basically.... STUPIDITY KILLS!!!!

I didn't get the chance to raisse MY daughter. She is now 25 yrs old, IF she is still alive. She may have children that I don't know of. I have had ZERO input into her life! I BEG of you.... IF you have the chance. Do NOT let your children down. Teach them to make SMART decisions in life!

Oh, DAmn! I said I wouldn't let this get TO me! What do I care anyways, they weren't MY kids!

[TK THE TRUCKER]

They're not blaming the driver as far as I know. They're just bitching about trucks in general, trying to find a reason. Here is a map. Rochester is at the top towards the left. From Fairport to the accident location is 15 air miles.

[BigWheels]

...I didn't get the chance to raisse MY daughter. She is now 25 yrs old, IF she is still alive. She may have children that I don't know of. I have had ZERO input into her life! I BEG of you.... IF you have the chance. Do NOT let your children down. Teach them to make SMART decisions in life!

Well said Hobo.

Sad to read that you were unable to be a part of your daughter's life. I sincerely hope that one day you and your daughter can connect (reconnect) with each other!