LAWNDALE, NC – Two students were killed, and another was injured in a car collision near Burns High School. The accident took place on Wednesday afternoon, as per the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The fatalities were identified as 14-year-old Jaelyn Abraham and 17-year-old Dequavious Hopper.
According to state troopers, the deadly wreck happened around 4 pm outside Burns High School, situated along East Stage Coach Trail in Lawndale. The three students were departing from the school in the same vehicle and were hit by a pickup truck. As the students’ car tried to turn left onto Falls Street, it was struck head-on by the truck.
Cleveland County Schools stated that the accident was being investigated by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The school has promised to provide additional counselors at the middle and high schools for the emotional well-being of their students.
No criminal charges will be filed in relation to the crash, as confirmed by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed. Bernice Henderson, a Lawndale resident who encountered the accident scene shortly after it happened, expressed her deep condolences to the deceased students’ families. Henderson emphasized that the entire community would extend their support to the bereaved families during this challenging time.
The North Carolina State Patrol stated that whether the deceased students were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash was still under investigation.