Three high school seniors from Massachusetts — including a two-time state diving champion — were tragically killed in a devastating car crash during their spring break trip to Florida. A fourth student remains in critical condition.
The group of 18-year-olds from Concord-Carlisle High School were traveling along Highway 98 near Panama City when their SUV slammed into a tractor-trailer making a U-turn at around 9:28 p.m. on Monday, according to reports cited by the New York Post.
The impact of the collision sent their vehicle careening across the median and into a wooded area on the opposite side of the road, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.
Jimmy McIntosh and Hannah Wasserman were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, while the two other passengers were transported to Bay Medical Center in critical condition. Maisey O’Donnell, one of the injured teens, was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The fourth student, whose name has not been released, remains in critical condition, according to NBC Boston.
McIntosh, a Carlisle native, was behind the wheel of the SUV and had been wearing his seatbelt at the time of the collision. Authorities are still working to determine whether Wasserman, O’Donnell — both from Concord — and the surviving passenger were also wearing seatbelts when the crash occurred.
The 19-year-old driver of the tractor-trailer and their passenger were unharmed, WCVB reported. The Florida Highway Patrol has confirmed that the crash remains under active investigation.
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District Superintendent Laurie Hunter confirmed Tuesday that McIntosh, Wasserman, and O’Donnell were the three students killed. Concord-Carlisle High School, located roughly 25 miles northwest of Boston, is mourning the tragic loss. Hunter issued a statement per CBS news.
“We are very appreciative of the outpouring of love during what is absolutely heartbreaking. We also appreciate the wish to feel purposeful and not helpless. At this time, it is most appropriate that no action be taken to honor the students without the full consent of the families and appropriate support for so many young people facing unfathomable loss,” Hunter wrote.
She continued: “We are all devastated beyond what we can understand today. I know that the difficult days ahead will be ones we face together.”
O’Donnell, a standout athlete and two-time Massachusetts state diving champion, had planned to attend Williams College next year. Widely regarded as one of the top divers in the country, she served as a mentor to younger athletes, her coach Joe Chirico told WCVB.
A GoFundMe was created to support Hannah Wasserman’s family with the sudden and overwhelming costs of her funeral and memorial. Hannah is described as “truly one of a kind: warm-hearted, kind, and always looking out for others. She had a way of making everyone feel seen, heard, and loved. Whether it was a friend in need, a classmate having a rough day, or a stranger who needed a smile, Hannah showed up with compassion and care.”
