LEOMINSTER, Mass. — A school community is mourning the death of a 16-year-old girl who was killed in a crash in Leominster that left three other teenagers seriously injured.
Troopers responding to a report of a single-vehicle crash on the northbound side of Route 190 around 7 p.m. Thursday found a yellow 2001 Ford Mustang that had veered off the highway and flipped over on its roof in the woods, according to Massachusetts State Police.
One of the victims, an 11th-grade student at Ayer Shirley Regional High School, was pronounced dead at the scene, school and law enforcement officials said.
She was riding in the vehicle with an 18-year-old man who was believed to be driving and a 16-year-old girl, both of Shirley, as well as an 18-year-old man from Bolton. All three victims were taken to area hospitals for treatment.
In a letter to the school community, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Adam Renda said, “All of us at ASRSD are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our students, an eleventh grader, who died in a car accident yesterday. We, the faculty, students, and staff of ASRSD, wish to extend our deepest sympathy and heart-felt condolences to the families, relatives, many friends, and classmates.”
Ayer Shirley Regional High School Principal Spencer S. Christie said that staffers are assembling response teams and gathering grief counselors to work with students.
“In the event that your child may be feeling overwhelmed by this news and needs to be dismissed from school, you may contact the main office to arrange for a dismissal,” Christie said in a letter to parents.
Friday night’s football game has also been postponed for a day.
Leominster firefighters who were called to the scene of the crash had to extricate three of the victims from the wreckage.
“The car was on its roof. It was probably less than 30 minutes that the whole operation was over with,” said Leominster Fire Chief Robert Sideleau said.
The names of those involved in the crash have not been released.
A preliminary investigation indicates that the driver of the Mustang had moved left to avoid another vehicle and lost control. Excessive speed may have played a factor in the crash, according to investigators.
State police detectives assigned to the Worcester District Attorney’s Office are leading the investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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