BROOKLYN, Conn. — A teenager died and four people were injured – two seriously – after a single-vehicle crash early Sunday in Brooklyn, Conn.
Five people were traveling in a Toyota Prius around 4:40 a.m. Sunday morning when it failed to stop at the intersection of Allen Hill Road and CT Route 205. It struck a tree before going down an embankment, police said.
At the intersection, the road heads off slightly to the right and crosses a brook. The area has houses nearby.
Chanelle Edwards, a 15-year-old student at Griswold High School, died from her injuries. Two other passengers were taken to Backus Hospital in Plainfield and were later moved to Hartford Hospital in critical condition.
Kimberly Butts, whose house is right next to the crash site, said she witnessed the aftermath and called 911.
“You had one kid that had blood all over his face from the airbag,” she told FOX61 on Monday. “There are five people in the car, and just the sound was horrible. Horrible. I feel really bad for the family. There is no way to fix it. I just pray to God everybody is going to be okay.”
Some neighbors who FOX61 spoke with called the intersection where the crash happened "dangerous.”
"We’ve only been here two years, but in the two years since we’ve been here there have been two fatal accidents within a mile of our house. People go really fast,” said Deborah McGann of Brooklyn.
Connecticut State Police said the tragedy highlights the painful reality of the '100 Deadliest Days' campaign, the time period between Memorial Day and Labor Day that sees the most fatal and non-fatal accidents.
"Statistics have shown that 60 percent of teens killed in motor vehicle accidents are due to distracted driving. A lot of those end up with passengers as well as a distraction, passengers in the vehicle as a distraction for fatalities amongst teens," said Connecticut State Police Sgt. Christine Jeltema.
"We ask that parents be a really good role model. Do not drive distracted. Talk to your children about the implications when it comes to driving distracted, having passengers in the vehicle, because that can also be a distraction as well," Jeltema added.
In a statement, the superintendent of Griswold Public School said grief counseling will be available for anyone at Griswold High School for anyone who needs it.
“We join together to keep the student and the family in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers during this most difficult time," the superintendent said.
The crash is under investigation by Connecticut State Police. Anyone with information about the crash can contact Troop D at 860-779-4900.
FOX61's Angelo Bavaro contributed to this report.
Doug Stewart is the Senior Digital Content Producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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