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Flowers were left in front of a tree that was damaged by a car accident early Tuesday that killed two teens and injured two others. The crash occurred on Pa. 915 near North Valley Road in Wells Tannery, Pa., in Fulton County, Pa. (Photo by Roxann Miller / July 11, 2012) |
Black skid marks are still visible on Pa. 915 from Tuesday’s accident that claimed the lives of two Fulton County teens and seriously injured two others.
Friends and neighbors from the rural community stopped at the crash scene Wednesday — some to drop off floral bouquets at the simple memorial, some to pray while others just looked at the scene in shock.
Ruth Hale of Wells Tannery, Pa., has five grandchildren and said she can’t stop thinking about the suffering the families are enduring.
“You’re not to question God, but how can you help it when they were so young?” Hale asked.
For Candy Harris, 28, of Hustontown, Pa., seeing the sheared trees and debris brought back sad memories.
She lost her 21-year-old brother, Cordell Carbaugh, in an all-terrain vehicle accident in 2010.
“This really hits home for me,” she said. “Some people get over this kind of loss quicker than others. But for me, it’s been two years, and I’m still not over it.”
While neither woman knew any of the teens, they wanted to stop by the scene to pay their respects.
Two bouquets of carnations were placed by one of the trees that Pennsylvania State Police said the car struck before coming to rest in the wooded area.
Carefully tucked inside one of the bouquets was a note – “R.I.P. Cody and Bryant. You will be greatly missed!”
Bryant Andrew White, 18, of 4275 North Valley Road in Wells Tannery and Cody Gracey, 17, of Hustontown were killed in the crash, according to Fulton County Coroner Berley Souders and police.
Cheyenne Nicole Hege, 18, of 4917 Cito Road in McConnellsburg, Pa., and William Joseph Hess, 19, of 32132 Great Cove Road in Fort Littleton, Pa., were flown to Altoona Regional Health System in Altoona, Pa., to be treated for major injuries, police said in a news release.
Hess was in serious condition at Altoona Regional Health System, a spokeswoman there said.
Hege was transferred to UPMC-Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, where she remained in critical condition, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Police said the 2000 Mercury Cougar that White was driving was traveling south on Pa. 915 in Fulton County at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday when the vehicle left the roadway, slid through a grassy field and struck several trees.
The car came to rest against a tree, police said.
None of the occupants was wearing a seatbelt, according to the police report.
