The Keene State College community is mourning the loss of an 18-year-old women's soccer player from New Hampshire who was killed last week in a crash involving a logging truck.
The crash occurred around 4:45 a.m. Thursday on Route 9 in Stoddard, about 20 miles from the college's campus near a logging site between the junctions of Route 123 north and south, New Hampshire State Police said.
Preliminary investigation determined that a Chevrolet Cruze driven by 18-year-old Kelsey Mayer of Concord was headed westbound on Route 9 approaching the logging site when a tractor-trailer with attached logging trailer driven by 44-year-old Donald Warner of Antrim, began backing into the logging site, state police said. The Chevy Cruze struck the trailer in the westbound travel lane.
Both Mayer and 19-year-old Alison Yanski, of Concord, a passenger in her car, had to be removed from the car by emergency personnel.
Mayer suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken by ambulance to Concord Hospital, where she later died. Yanski was taken by ambulance to Cheshire Medical Center with serious injuries.
Warner was not injured in the crash.
Mayer was a freshman on the Keene State women's soccer team this past fall. Her teammates paid tribute to her in a statement posted to the college's website.
"The Keene State women's soccer team is very saddened by the tragic loss of one of our teammates, Kelsey Mayer. Kelsey left a huge impact on everyone she encountered," the statement said. "She was an amazing, sweet girl with so many great attributes, who she never compromised herself for others. She had a great sense of humor and always knew how to make others smile with her beautiful, contagious laugh. Kelsey was empathetic and cared for everyone she crossed paths with. Kelsey loved being around her family, friends and teammates and we all will forever hold onto a piece of her in our hearts."
Route 9 was closed for over six hours on Thursday as a result of the crash.
The cause remains under investigation, and anyone with information is asked to contact state police at 603-545-4396 or Eric.M.Torrens@dos.nh.gov.
