A suburban community grieves the loss of one recent graduate from Wauconda High School who was killed in an accident that also injured another woman Wednesday morning, officials said.
“We believe there was an overcorrection of the wheel//the vehicle went into a broadside skid, rolled in the center median and came to rest in the southbound lanes of Route 12,” said Sgt. Chris Covelli of Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
A pickup truck owned by the school district was being driven by an 18-year-old who had just graduated, officials said, she was doing school maintenance, including sealcoating, as a summer job and was not wearing her seatbelt.
“She was partially ejected, and she was pronounced deceased at the scene,” said Sgt. Covelli.
Her 18-year-old passenger, classmate and co-worker survived with minor injuries.
Police say it’s an accident-prone stretch seeing as though half a mile away, another memorial from 5 months ago, where 16-year-old Danielle Thomas lost her life when a driver crossed the median and hit her head on, lays.
The fatal crash deeply affected administrators and students at Wauconda High School.
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NBC 5 reached out to the schools’ front office but has yet to receive a statement.
The school’s website broke the news “with a heavy heart,” offering counseling for students and staff in need of healing services.
A large sign outside continually advises drivers to “buckle up”—a warning that, if heeded, might have saved a young life.
