OldHillcrestGuy
Well-Known Member
Happened this morning on Popular Hill Rd. area of Malcolm, 3 teens in car hit tree, passenger died. The other 2 flown out, with non-life threatning injuries.
Another Teen Fatal Today (Charles)
- Thread starter OldHillcrestGuy
- Start date
Kittykat33
Why me??
Are you kidding me?? Do these teenagers think nothing can happen to them? I pray for all you teenagers out there. Please SLOW down!!!
donbarzini
Well-Known Member
Girl that passed is on Stone's field hockey team with my daughter. I've got some issues to deal with when I get home tonight.
From the WRC-4 website:
Police said the teens were traveling in the 15000 block of Poplar Hill Road when the driver lost control, crossed the line and struck a tree. Authorities said a preliminary investigation shows that speed and driver error were factors in the crash.
The vehicle, a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier, skidded sideways and its passenger side collided with a tree on the left side of the roadway. The front passenger, Stephanie Weir, 15, of Brandywine in Charles County, was pronounced dead at the scene. She was a sophomore at Thomas Stone High School.
The driver, a 17-year-old girl, and the backseat passenger, a 16-year-old boy, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and were flown by a Maryland State Police helicopter to Prince George's Hospital Center's Shock Trauma Unit.
The driver, a senior at Thomas Stone, is in critical condition. The backseat passenger, a junior at North Point High School, is in good condition. They both also live in the Brandywine area of Charles County. Their names have not been released because they are juveniles.
School officials said the teens were likely headed to Thomas Stone, which runs a shuttle bus to North Point.
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Strange, one paragraph says "serious but non-life threatening injuries", the next paragraph says the driver is in critical and the other is in good condition.
ItalianScallion
Harley Rider
God this hurts. Stephanie was one of the kids who came to our club. (My Brother's Place). The last thing I told her, as she left the club, was be careful and I love you (as I tell all the kids). I hope she heard the latter because she didn't hear the former. Moving the driving age to 18 would make no difference. Some kids are no more responsible at 18 than they are at 16. She was always a good kid but carelessness can happen to anyone. What's even worse is that she was hit exactly where I witnessed another accident @9 years ago. This road is very narrow and a TransAm took on a trash truck and lost. Speed and driver distraction contributed. What else can be said? You can't watch them 24/7. It's always tough for me when I know the kids, and I've had to deal with this many times before. I can't even imagine how the parents feel. God be with you both.
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Rael
Supper's Ready
I used to take my son to your place, ItalianScallion. He has since moved out of state for school, but he had kind words about it. I agree with him on it, too. A good place for teens to go. Thanks for doing what you do.
I feel for the family and friends as well.
godsbutterfly
Free to Fly
I am so sorry for the pain you and Stephanie's family and friends must be feeling. I don't mean to pry but do you know the driver or the other passengers? I will be in prayer for all of you.
K
Kain99
Guest
My buddy called me this morning crying when he saw this accident. Said the cars didnt look horrible but it was obvious that people had died by the onlookers who he said were children.
Very sorry to hear that you knew her. Just curious, why do you say she wasn't being careful? She was a passenger, IF she was wearing her seat belt then about the only other thing she could have done is to never ride in a car with another teen driving, which might be a good idea but isn't very realistic.
Agreed that raising the driving age won't help that much, but not so much because of the responsibility/maturity factor. Obviously, 18 and 19 year olds are going to be more mature on average than 16 and 17 year olds, but because you'd just push the inexperience factor back. Instead of 16 and 17 year olds just learning how to drive, you'd have 18 and 19 year olds just learning how to drive, a marginal improvement. Another problem I'd have with that is those born late in the calendar year (or advanced students who graduate HS early) who could actually start college and still not be old enough to drive. I guess saying you had to be 18 unless you already had your HS diploma would fix the latter issue, but they'd still have to go through that learning process behind the wheel.
K
Kain99
Guest
Very educated and thoughtful post! Welcome to the forums!
ItalianScallion
Harley Rider
You're welcome Rael. Working with teens has been my ministry since 1990 and I can't leave it. Every Friday night without monetary payment should speak for itself. My payment comes from seeing them later, when they tell me how they appreciated my being there for them and giving them a place to "hang out". Although I'm not responsible for this tragedy, it hurts me as if she was one of my own kids. PM or email a picture (if you'd like) so I can see who your son is. I don't know if I'd know him by name. Thanks again.
ItalianScallion
Harley Rider
Thanks Gbf. I won't know the others until I see their pictures. Their names weren't released yet and, as you know, I see hundreds of kids on Friday night, many with the same first name. Stephanie I just happened to know because we talked a lot. I'll be fine. Just takes time. We've lost a lot of kids this year as you know and many of them I knew from MBP.
AndyMarquisLIVE
New Member
I feel so bad this happened.
It really is a shame her sister's actions took her life. Truly tragic.
I stated in another thread:
That car looks familiar! They got right behind me one time and glued their front bumper to my rear bumper.
I feel bad for the family, the little girl that got killed and the brother. Unfortanently, I've dealt with that 17 year-old who was driving (IF, and it looks like it, it is the same car) and she's flat reckless.
Very tragic.
My boss also has had many many encounters with her, pulling that yellow Cavalier (with black stripes) right up to her rear bumper. She must be Junyer-drafting.
My boss also said she also got a speeding ticket for doing 80 in a 40.
Channel 7 is reporting the drivers name as Laura Ritter. I really hate to say it, but I have seen that car travelling the back roads and the driver really really drove like there was no rules. I have actually pulled over at St. Peters to allow her to pass me because she was so far up my bumper. The car was not one you could forget, it was truly 1 of a million if not 1 of a kind.
Channel 7 also states at the end of their viedo that many people that live around the accident scene was familar with that car travelling recklessly.
My prayers go out to all families involved, nobody should have to endure the pain of burying their child, nor should another child have to bear the guilt of being responsible for the death of their friend.
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ItalianScallion
Harley Rider
Hello DAB and welcome. What I mean by being careful (and I've explained it to them) is everything that "careful" entails. No drugs, no smoking, no sex, watch who you drive with and "hang" with, look around when you're walking, avoid dark areas, etc. In this case, when the driver's speed got over 40mph, she should have spoken up. It happened to me a few times when I was in my 20's. I was driving fast with my friends in the car and one or two of them actually told me to slow down or let them out.
I've always said that but for another reason. Driving takes the kids minds away from their school work. (So does the opposite sex), but if they knew that they had to pass school before they could drive, it might help some. I was already doing good in school when my Dad signed me up for driver's ed at 15 1/2 but he made it clear to me that, if my grades didn't stay good, there would be no driving his car. The law should read: you can get your license when you're 18 or when you graduate HS (in case they are still 17 when they graduate).DABinMD said:
ItalianScallion
Harley Rider
Thanks Andy. Was it her sister driving? I didn't know that. Note the quote below this one. dmh says the same thing. Well, maybe this will haunt her for the rest of her life and cause her to slow down.I feel so bad this happened.
It really is a shame her sister's actions took her life. Truly tragic.
My boss also has had many many encounters with her, pulling that yellow Cavalier (with black stripes) right up to her rear bumper. She must be Junyer-drafting.
My boss also said she also got a speeding ticket for doing 80 in a 40.
Thanks dmh. Maybe this is what it took to get this girl to slow down from what you're telling me about her driving habits. Killing another in your car has longterm psychological effects. I don't know that name but, as I said earlier, if I see her face I might know her. I hope the judge removes her driving privileges for a year or more for this.
I didn't think they'd release the name because she's under 18????
Anyway, yes that's her. I've heard many bad things about her driving 'skills'. It's a shame that it'll take something like this to make her realize how she really should be driving. I also hope that she'll recover from her injuries.
How sad for Stephanie's family.