High school senior dead, two teens seriously hurt in head-on crash, NC troopers say
A high school senior known for her constant smile was killed in a head-on crash that left two other teens in critical condition, North Carolina officials said.
State troopers said the 17-year-old was riding in a Ford Ranger with the other teens as a Dodge Dakota was traveling in the opposite direction. The Dodge driver then crossed the center line and hit the pickup truck head-on, according to N.C. State Highway Patrol.
The 17-year-old died at the scene of the Henderson County crash. She was identified in a news release as Madison Crawford.
The two other teens — the 18-year-old Ford driver and a 17-year-old Ford passenger — were seriously injured and taken to an Asheville hospital, officials said.
The crash was reported on Dec. 8, the day before Henderson County Public Schools shared an emotional post on Facebook.
The school district said Crawford was a 12th grader at North Henderson High School in Hendersonville, a mountain town roughly 25 miles south of Asheville. The 18-year-old driver graduated from the same school earlier this year, and the injured passenger is a junior at the school, according to officials.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Madison’s family and the families of all who were involved in this tragic event,” the district wrote, adding that counseling services and social workers would be available on campus after Crawford’s death.
“She was a very nice kid,” Sue Moon, a social studies teacher and volleyball coach, told the Times-News of Hendersonville. “Madison was always kind in our interactions. She always had a smile on her face. She was always willing to help others.”
Troopers were called just after 4 p.m. to the crash, which was reported along Terrys Gap Road.
In addition to the teens, the Dodge driver was taken to a hospital, though troopers in their news release didn’t list the extent of the 56-year-old’s injuries.
N.C. State Highway Patrol, which said charges were pending in the crash, didn’t immediately share additional details with McClatchy News on Dec. 9.
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