A high school student was killed and two other teens were seriously injured in a crash in Marshfield, Massachusetts, early Sunday morning.
Marshfield police responded to the area of 172 Forest Street around 12:43 a.m. after receiving a call for a vehicle that had crashed into a tree, the Plymouth District Attorney's Office said.
Marshfield police and fire crews worked to remove the teens from the vehicle, as all three were trapped inside, officials said.
A 17-year-old passenger in the car, identified as Nicholas Wanderley of Norwell, was pronounced dead at the scene. The 16-year-old driver and a 16-year-old male passenger were hospitalized with serious injuries.
The driver was taken to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth before being re-routed to Boston Children's Hospital for treatment. The 16-year-old passenger was taken to South Shore Hospital. There was no immediate update on their conditions Sunday night.
A preliminary investigation shows that the car was driving south on Forest Street when it crossed the double yellow line and struck a tree, the district attorney's office said.
The accident scene is located a short distance from the entrance to Marshfield High School.
U.S. & World
"In regards to this tragic accident on Forest Street in Marshfield early this morning our hearts go out to the children and families involved and the entire Norwell community," Marshfield Police Department posted on their Facebook page.
Those passing by the crash site Sunday -- which is located just a short distance from the entrance to Marshfield High School -- said they are heartbroken for the victim's family.
"It's just so unexpected," Erin Tilden said. "You never know. Just awful."
"You never know what day could be your last, basically. It's just awful, it makes me sick to my stomach thinking about it," said Kayla Sheehey. "I'm just going to keep the family in my prayers and hope that the other two kids are OK and recover from it."
The news also reached the high school community in neighboring Norwell, where Wanderley was a student. Dozens of staff, students and their parents showed up later Sunday to mourn the loss of one of their own and keep hope alive for the other two teens.
Wanderley's friend and schoolmate Lee O'Day dropped flowers at the Marshfield crash site on Sunday with his girlfriend, Grace Montgomery, and said Wanderley was loved by all.
“[I] hope he knows that we cared about him and that he will be missed and that he was loved by everybody," O'Day noted. "It was nice seeing all of us coming together as a community to show that, even though we’re all different, we all do care about each other."
Norwell Supt. Matthew Keegan was equally moved by the outpouring of support Sunday for Wanderley.
"It's a vey tragic and sad thing to lose a student. It's the last thing any of us want to do, especially young life," Keegan said. "So I think right now, we're just trying to process that and come together as a community and it's just great to see everybody here."
Counseling services will continue to be provided at Norwell High, while state police work to determine the cause of this fatal crash.
The investigation remains active and is being conducted by state police troopers assigned to the district attorney's office with help from Marshfield and Norwell police.
