Ashland, OR. — Two 17-year-old Ashland High School students were killed and three others injured in a single-vehicle crash early Sunday morning in rural Ashland, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded at approximately 12:44 a.m. Feb. 22 to the 1350 block of East Nevada Street after reports of a crash. When emergency personnel arrived, they found an Audi A6 that had struck a tree.
The vehicle was carrying five 17-year-olds. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Firefighters from Jackson County Fire District 5 and Ashland Fire & Rescue conducted a complex extrication to remove the remaining occupants from the severely damaged vehicle. The Ashland Police Department assisted with the investigation.
Mercy Flights transported the four surviving passengers to a local hospital with critical injuries. Shortly after arrival, one passenger was pronounced deceased. The three remaining teens are hospitalized and reported to be in stable condition.
Authorities said the preliminary investigation indicates the car was traveling eastbound on East Nevada Street at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control before a 90-degree curve. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree, causing catastrophic damage.
The Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team is leading the investigation. The interagency unit includes members from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Medford Police Department, Ashland Police Department and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.
The names of the juveniles are being withheld out of respect for their families’ privacy. All five teens were students at Ashland High School.
Ashland School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Hattrick called the crash “a devastating tragedy for our entire community,” adding that the district will provide counseling support for students and staff for as long as needed.
Ashland High School Principal Francisco Atanes said the school community’s “hearts are shattered by this unimaginable loss,” noting the students were valued members of the campus and town.
Grief counseling resources are being coordinated through the school district as the community mourns.
About the Author
Discover more from Right Now Oregon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
