A New Jersey teen died in a car crash one day after she went to her high school prom, according to reports on May 14.
Alexis “Lexi” Faye, 17, was killed in a Mercedez-Benz that was rented for her prom at Newtown High School. She was returning with her friends at around 5:30 p.m. on May 11 from the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, reported the New Jersey Star-Ledger.
She was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash in Fredon Township after the car veered off the road and overturned, said police. The vehicle was discovered along a heavily-wooded country road.
Teen killed in horrific prom weekend crash https://t.co/FJ0gjUI00N pic.twitter.com/BxGRbea8Xv
— New York Post (@nypost) May 14, 2019
Anthony Burke, 17, was identified as the driver of the sedan. He along with passengers, 16-year-old Maria Fiore and 17-year-old Nicholas Chavarria, were seriously injured in the accident, said officials.
“Everyone’s just heartbroken over it. All the kids are coming together, everyone’s trying to support each other,” said neighbor, Sebastian Deleon, who was also her friend.
In honor of the beautiful Lexi Faye, friends and family would like ribbons of WHITE, her favorite color, to be tied around trees, poles and mailboxes.
Gone too soon, but never forgotten.
👼🏼❤🙏
— briana (@briana_20x) May 12, 2019
He told the Star-Ledger: “We have so many memories.”
“I’ve known her for my whole life,” said Tommy Carson, who was at the prom with her the night before the crash.
N.J. town copes with tragic prom weekend crash that claimed life of teen who ‘lit up every room’ https://t.co/j2f8AgyKNO pic.twitter.com/Z0qb1dZkMG
— NJ.com (@njdotcom) May 14, 2019
“She’s always been the type of girl to make everyone feel like they belong,” he said.
School district officials also issued a statement about her death, reported radio station NJ 101.5.
“The Newton community mourns the loss of Lexi Faye and our thoughts and prayers are with her family and the others involved in this tragic accident,” Newton school District Superintendent G. Kennedy Green said.
“She was the sweetest kid, so kind to her siblings and you could just see the unconditional love she had for her family,” Katie Feldman, who is also a teacher, told the outlet.
Fatal Car Crash Statistics
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, analyzing data from the Department of Transportation, there were 37,461 deaths from car accidents in 2016, the last year full data is available for. The deaths occurred across 34,439 fatal motor vehicle accidents.
The number means 11.6 deaths per 100,000 people and 1.16 deaths per 100 million miles traveled, although those numbers can vary widely across states.
i will never understand how certain things happen to some & not others. things like this put everything into perspective & how you should always appreciate people why they’re with you. stay strong my friends & I’ll miss u lex more than you know.
— angela danielle (@angmelillo) May 12, 2019
The highest deaths per 100,000 population were in Mississippi, which saw 23.1 such deaths, and the most deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled were in South Carolina, which saw 1.88 such deaths.
The majority of fatal accidents are single-vehicle crashes, the institute noted.
