Five Young Women Killed In Fiery Car Crash

SUV Collided Head-On With Truck; Victims Killed Days After Graduating From N.Y. High School

(CBS/AP)  A fiery head-on collision killed five women in a sport utility vehicle less than a week after they graduated from a high school in a Rochester suburb, the principal said Wednesday.

Their Chevrolet Trail Blazer had just passed a vehicle late Tuesday when it swerved back across the two-lane road into oncoming traffic and hit a tractor-trailer, the Ontario County Sheriff's Office said. Both vehicles caught fire.

The crash knocked down utility lines and cut phone service in the western half of Ontario County. The truck driver wasn't injured.

The victims were pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said.

Fairport High School Principal David Paddock said four of the women were members of the cheerleading squad — Bailey Goodman, Hannah Congdon, Meredith McClure and Sara Monnat — and he identified the fifth as Katie Shirley. All five graduated Thursday.

"It is with overwhelming sadness that I inform all of you that five of our children, all of whom just graduated from FHS last Thursday evening, lost their lives earlier tonight in a car accident," Paddock wrote in an e-mail sent to parents early Wednesday.

He said the victims had been heading to the Keuka Lake camp of a parent, and four friends were following in another car when the wreck occurred.

Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said Bailey was driving the SUV.

Keisha Koneski, one of the cheerleading teammates who was following in the second car, told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle that it appeared Bailey had tried to pass a van that was driving slowly in the right lane.

After almost passing the van, she said, it appeared Bailey may have thought the van was swerving into her lane and she jerked back into the left lane, running head-on into the tractor-trailer.

“We saw the truck and we all started screaming," she said.

The crash happened shortly after 10 p.m. along a 55-mph stretch just before the crest of a slight rise on a two-lane road in the rural town of East Bloomfield, a western Finger Lakes community about 20 miles southeast of Rochester.

The SUV landed on the side of the road and partially under the charred rig, which was being removed from the scene late Wednesday morning. A nearby maple tree was scorched by flames.

Sheriff Povero said it was clear that the fierceness of the impact caused various fuel lines to rupture, causing both vehicles to ignite.

“The fire trapped the five girls in the SUV. They were unable to escape," Lt. Bill Gallagher of the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. "Both vehicles were engulfed. There was no chance for rescue," he said.

Dozens of students, teachers and parents, some hugging and weeping, gathered Wednesday morning on a hillside overlooking the school, located in an Erie Canal village of about 6,000, about 10 miles southeast of Rochester.

Marcus Merriman, an 18-year-old student who knew all the victims, described Hannah Congdon as "probably my best friend."

"She always had a perfect smile on her face. She said 'hi' to everyone in the halls. She was very caring and sympathetic," he said.

"Our hearts just explode and it just makes the grieving so hard because we build such a community for youth," said Debra Tandoi, a town official who works with young people in the schools. "We love them all."

[funkiwiteboy]

pray hard for YOUR kids!!!

[dylanxxv]

I'm beyond words here...My sympathies to all the families involved...

[gunownerdan]

When are we going to call for a ban on SUV's????
Car accidents kill WAY more people than guns do.

[juliemd]

PRAY hard and teach to to PASS with CARE. Speed and inexperience kills...sad truth for young drivers. Devastating.

[bragdonec0]

Unnecessary deaths caused by recklessness..saddening. Do not drive beyond your capabilities. My condolences to the families and friends of these victims.

[mountainzen]

42,000 people die in auto accidents in the USA on average every year. We act as if it will never be one of us. I wonder, can anything be done to make driving even safer? I would guess the parents thought an SUV would be the safest vehicle to be in. What a tragedy.

My heart and prayers go out to the families.

Too many white crosses on the sides of the roads...

[r-u-kidding]

I remember the dumb things like this that we did in our teens. It's an act of God that many of us made it through. These girls were probably all 18, so it may not have helped, but I think it would be very wise for states to raise the driving age to 18.

[cathaleen]

It seems every year some high school kids get killed in auto accidents either after their prom or graduation. My condolences go out to their families.

[mdc76082]

The devil comes collecting what is his. We've all sold our teenage souls alittle.

[dmk3]

What do you say? Horrible,just horrible.

[rushman71]

And our nation is so hyped up over the issue of gun control? Give me a friggin break!!! Cars kill more than guns do!!!

[clevercandi]

Many prayers and healing thoughts to family and friends of all those involved in this tragedy.

[Geneius]

mdc76082 and rushman71 are complete idiots. It's too bad CBS doesn't have a seperate section for the crazies.

[cbs4me3]

We pray for the souls of the 5 girls and their families and friends. May God's mercy be upon all.
Why does this happen to our young and good people? We cannot know the answer. There is a poem about "Weaving" that we see the underside of what we weave but must wait until we are with Him and then see the upper side and why things were as they were. We can be content that the girls are with Him at this moment. Peace.

[drew30319-2009]

My prayers and condolences are with the families and friends of these young women. I feel deeply for you and your loved ones.

No words can adequately express what you are dealing with. The best that I have to offer is that I hope that you eventually find some peace.

[mnelsonix]

Too many white crosses on the sides of the roads...
Posted by mountainZen at 03:54 PM : Jun 27, 2007

True observation. Way too many. Vehicles are safer than ever before and still too many young lives lost. We can pray for the families.

How can a parent recover from such monumental loss?

[cmp271]

My condolences to their families. Their pictures are on the Democrat and Chronicle website. What terrific looking young people, to be gone so early in their lives is a tragedy. Fairport has lost a group of students and this class will never feel the same.

I am sure we will never know what caused her to vere back again.

The local paper is monitoring the comments on its own web site, and I hope all respect this incident and not make any disrespectful insinuations. Thank you.

[ehshome]

As someone who knows what it's like to lose 8 high school students in a horrendous tornado disaster last March, I send my prayers and condolences to the parents, families, and friends of these young people. I know we're not supposed to question God, but sometimes, it's hard not to wonder why.

[gunownerdan]

Why aren't all the gun-control supporters calling for a ban on SUV's?

[duhrer]

Mourn not for those who are dead. They have shuffled off this mortal coil and now dwell beyond any earthly cares. Mourn for those who remain, for they are the ones who suffer from such a tragic loss and must ever daily come to terms with memories and lost potential of the ones they loved.

[bogusbones]

Every night my children go out I lay awake waiting for their return. Reading about tragedies such as this are like a knife being plunged into my soul. My prayers to them and their families.

[rheola-2009]

"Why aren't all the gun-control supporters calling for a ban on SUV's?"
Posted by GunOwnerDan at 04:47 PM : Jun 27, 2007

This is not the place to be pushing your agenda, have some thought and respect for the families of these young people.

[bogusbones]

Gun Control Dan

Why don't you take your vitriole somewhere else and allow a little human decency to creep into your pathetic little life.

[gunownerdan]

If SUV's were illegal, these girls would not have died in one, right? Isn't this "common sense" these days?

[tabhappy]

If everyone would be more respectful to other drivers on the road, there would be less accidents like this one. Let this be a reminder for all of us to not be selfish when we drive. If a car wants to pass you, let them pass you... if they need to get into your lane, slow down and give them room to let them in. Too many times I see drivers who refuse to let another car pass them or get in front of them. We all need to slow down a little bit and be more respectful of other drivers!!!

[texas468]

"Isn't this "common sense" these days? "
Posted by GunOwnerDan at 04:59 PM : Jun 27, 2007

Kind Sir, common sense these days is knowing when to sometimes, leave you opinion at the door and show a bit of compassion. Think of others on this post, please?? Thanks GunOwnerDan.....

[gunownerdan]

4 young women recently died in a car accident near where I live. They were also hit by a tractor trailer and the driver was drunk and she wasn't even of legal drinking age. Young drivers almost always feel invincible and they definitely take more chances than older drivers. Better driver education is definitely very important.
We must teach our young people about the consequences of bad driving.

[thursday24]

What the hell do suvs have to do with guns???

[hawksprings]

Something similar to this happened in Cheyenne a few months ago. A semi lost control at an intersection trying to avoid a car, it hit a light pole, burst into flames. The truck driver couldn't get out. Some young employees from a store ran out to the truck with fire extinguishers and tried to get the man out of the cab, but the fire was too intense. They could hear his screams as he died, but they could do nothing. It was horrible.
My prayers are with the families of these girls.

[docadams3]

What a terrible grief this will be to so many people.

I hope we decide to train young drivers better than we do. There could have been more deaths than this if the truck had been a car instead. Perhaps me, and my child, as well.

This is so sad, and so predictable.

Five teenagers should never be allowed to ride together without an adult at the wheel. Doesn't anyone read about the statistics on multiple teens riding together? It's a recipe for disaster. It should simply be illegal.

[rheola-2009]

Here in Australia, we have a similar frightening problem with younger drivers, not to necessarily say, that the driver was at fault in this instance, however according to recently released Government statistics, 30% of fatal accidents involve drivers under 25 years of age, but they represent just 7% of all licensed drivers in this country.

As no doubt is your country, ours is attempting to come to grips with the problem,.

I myself feel a large part of the cause, is with the advertising industry,in that they are always glorifying the advantages [???] of fast and high performance cars, and most despicable of all, the liquor industry, though they deny it, aim their advertising directly at young people, to entice them into consuming more of their product.

Of course the Authorities have to play a part with better dtriver education, and stronger controls on youth, with respect to their responsibilities in driving a vehicle.

[roesch21]

If SUV's were illegal, these girls would not have died in one, right? Isn't this "common sense" these days?

Posted by GunOwnerDan at 04:59 PM : Jun 27, 2007

Dan, i have to agree with you on the gun control sh*t the leftwings are trying to pull. You make a valid point...why isn't Hilary F*cking Clinton here banning SUV's, smoking, ***(STD's), h*ll even rides at Six Flags. That aside i do feel for the families of these young women and hope this serves as a learning lesson for America's youth. Don't let these girl's deaths be in vain.

[DrewAtlanta]

Just natural selection. We don't need new laws. Their parents should have known who they were with, how many kids to a car etc. Good parenting and being involved with your kid would prevent this. The reality though is that the 40-somethings that are parents are more interested in working out, golf, careers, fun etc than raising their kid. Most parents can't wait for their kid to drive so they don't have to haul them around.

[jasbek]

Good parenting wouldn't change this at all. It was an accident. A terrible accident. How rude to say such a thing!!!

[willyn3]

I feel badly for the truck driver too.

[alexma50085]

The loss of a child is tragic, but the deaths of these children lies heavily on the parents. When parents give their children $25,000+ vehicles with power that an unexperienced driver can't handle, these tragedies happen.
Parents these days aren't teaching their children the responsiblity of the real world. If these girls would have had to work to earn the money for a crappy, $2,000 p.o.s., I'm sure they wouldn't be hauling a$$ down the highway, passing "slower" vehicles. Mostly because their p.o.s. wouldn't let them do it.
NO teenage driver should have a brand new car, it's just a recipe for disaster.

[puzzler125]

Mandatory driver's education classes would help young drivers and in Ohio where I live they are not mandatory. I've seen some of the worst drivers in the United States here including, sad to say, police officers failing to signal and yapping on cell phones while breaking driving laws. Good parenting has absolutely nothing to do with it. SUVs have nothing to do with it either.

[rheola-2009]

Willyn3

I agree, very easy to forget him when after all he appears to have been a totaaly innocent person in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[grape_b]

People should show more compassion for the families of those young girls killed in such a horrific accident. At a time like this they need people to be more thoughtful and not say things that donot help them right now. my thoughts and prayers are with you during this ver difficult time. May God be with you.

[mollyb32]

My heart goes out to the families & friends of this tragic accident. It is so sad that this happened. Why does the fact that they were driving a SUV make a difference? It could have happened in any car. We don't know all the facts yet so now is not the time to judge anyone. We just need to grieve.

[closethippy]

It's interesting how the crash happened because I see it happen to me a lot. I'll have someone pass me and when they are trying to get back to the lane they hesitate.
I can see them looking through the rear view mirror and they seem frustrated because they think that either I'm speeding up or that they simply don't have enough room to get back on the lane.
In some cases I'll have a car that just passed me with at least 50 feet of space between us trying to get back to the lane and they'll be swerving back and forth not sure if they have enough room.
And I find that ridiculous. Why the last second doubt? Are people trying to be polite about it? Do they think I'm speeding up to make life difficult for them?
It's good to be careful when it comes to driving but you also have to be firm about it. If I'm driving slowly you have the right to pass me, and if it happens that I decide to speed up for whatever reason go ahead and get back on the lane.
If I hit you from behind IT'S MY FREAKING FAULT!
Sometimes I'll see people with their blinking lights on and looking at the rear view mirror for miles before they decide to change lanes.
If changing a freaking lane stresses you this much you shouldn't be driving, period.

[chrisbetz5]

this has nothing to do with suvs,pickup trucks,truck drivers,or horse carriages....to even insinuate that the suv is the reason is rediculous.
i do however agree that no teenager should have a new care,and maybe even eliminate the possibility of teenagers driving under the parents insurance.
if teenagers these days had to buy their own auto,own insurance,etc...you would have more teens obeying the rules of the road and taking better care of the vehicles as well as themselves.
i dont know the specifics of this particular incident,so maybe what ive said does not pertain to it,but i still think if more kids EARNED the right to drive like the rest of us,we would see less reckless driving by teens.
anyhow,my thoughts and prayers go out to the families of these girls and also the driver of the rig....he has to live with this for the rest of his life too....very sad.

[holmholm]

This is so sad. There are many faults as you look at the entire chain of events, three are chief
1) The decision to pass on two lane highway
2) Passing on the approach of a hill apex
3) SUV

The previous author, although opinionated, is dead wrong on discounting the SUV as a factor in this type of accident. The SUV is arguably the most significant factor.

As a former driver of an SUV, I guarantee you this accident wouldn't have happened in a BMW, or any car with speed appropriate handling character. The driver just wouldn't make the same error.

What a tragedy.

[frb01]

This is a tragedy, 20 years ago 6 teenage friends of mine were killed in a car crossing a railroad track. All of us can lack judgement at times, but past years are filled of accidents involving the SUV of yesterday, which happened to have the words Firebird, Mustang, Camaro, Chevelle, etc. Or the various motorcycle accidents. Blaming it on the SUV is stupid.

[winger58]

I can't believe the insensitive people who use assumptions and tragedy to make insane comments. Parenting has nothing to do with this tragedy and shame on you for even mentioning it. Who said that this SUV even belonged to these girls? It could have been the parents car, borrowed for the trip because the parents didn't want their daughter to drive a "pos" such a long distance. The type of car involved had nothing to do with the accident. So all you anti-SUV fanatics can get off your soapbox. Passing on a "grade" had nothing to do with the accident. The driver had already safely passed the slow-moving vehicle and was back in her lane of traffic. (By the way, I'm very familiar with this roadway and location. The grade is very, very slight. You can easily see a mile or more down the roadway and it is a legal passing zone). We'll never know what happened in that vehicle prior to the accident. Maybe she hit the soft shoulder and overcorrected. Maybe she took her eyes off the road for a split second. It happens all the time. Most people correct and think, "thank God there wasn't a car coming in the other lane at that moment." This time it wasn't so. There are also reports in the local media that the van being passed sped up as the girls passed and may have tailgated them. We just don't know all the facts yet. All we do know is that 5 very talented and beautiful young women are dead

[dude2007-2009]

A gaggle of teenaged girls in a SUV. Nothing more terrifying than that, I'm glad they didn't hurt any innocent drivers at least

[smcooles]

I am a graduate of FHS class of 2005. I knew these girls. I had the chance to cherrlead with each of them. They were great girls. I feel that people on here are paying to much attention to the car and how things happened, instead of focusing on the fact that these 5 young woman, ready to start their lives, are not gone. They were AMAZING girls. I will never forget them. My mom called me at 3 am to let me know what happened. I sat in my abthrrom with my yearbook on my lap as she read me the names...with each name, came a tear. I was mortified. I am still in utter shock and disbelief and Fairport is suffering as well. I went to school with these girls, sat at the same lunch tables, square danced together, laughed together. Please focus on the fact that we will miss their precense, and please pray for their families. I will always haev you in my heart. RIP Sara, Hannah, Meredith, Katie, and Bailey.

[usagi55]

A Fairport Prayer

To those five girls, who died so young:

To all the things you never got, for all the dreams you never sought,
To all the hearts you%u2019ll never break, to all tears that are taking place.
Five girls%u2019 tragedies made unity take place, and it is truly by their amazing grace;
That others can come together, to comfort and help and give strength to one another.

To the parents, siblings, family and friends, their lives have so shortly come to an end.
Yet, they have touched so many lives, and candles are lit long into the night.
Be proud and strong for your little girls, for their beauty will still radiant into the world.

My sorrow is deep, and for strangers I weep;
Trying to make sense of this horrible time, and as an outsider, it is hard not to cry.
I am truly sorry for all your pain and I truly wish I could help take it away.
Don%u2019t give up hope and try not to place blame; I know in my heart they would say the same thing.

[DrewAtlanta]

OMG some of you are so stupid or don't know the english language. THIS WAS NOT A TRAGEDY! Tragedies are unavoidable. A hurricane, a sunami, etc.

This was sooooo avoidable jsut bad choices:
There could have been less people in the car.
Driver could have actually paid attention.
Driver could have chosen not to take chance passing.
What makes me laugh at tragedy is this chick was so pampered she had a sweet suv. Getto kids don't often get in jet ski accidents, or down hill ski into a tree. She or her parents chose to let her drive when clearly she shouldn't have.

BTW. I'm lily white and came from a family of wealth, so I know of what I speak. Sometimes kids are just stupid.

I do feel bad for the families of the kids and realy bad for the truck driver. I just don't like the word tragedy used for what is so avoidable. Unless her axel broke or she ran over something, I wouldn't even call it an accident because she used poor judgement or wasn't paying attention. People should chose their words carefully.

Maybe: "it's a terrible thing that happened. I hope she was paying attention and it was a mechanical failure and my friend didn't wreck the lives of so many".

[eschliff]

i know your entitled to your opinion, but that last comment was completely out of line. this was sad unfortunate and it was a tragedy. this accident had nothing to do with the social class of the girls. and you may be right it could have been avoided, there are plenty of should of's or what ifs. a lot of things can be avoided, but that doesn't mean they should be looked down upon. if you were to be involve in an accident, i mean and unfortunate preventable crash, would you want a stranger posting comments calling you stupid. mistakes happen, accidents happen, show some sympathy.