Friend: Driver Of Car That Hit N.J. School Not A Risk Taker

PINE BEACH, N.J. (CBS New York/AP) -- Investigators said three people who were killed when their vehicle slammed into a New Jersey elementary school Thursday were not wearing seatbelts.

WCBS 880's Levon Putney reports from Pine Beach

Deputy Chief Michael Mohel of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said the impact from the 2011 Hyundai Accent left a 6-foot-by-6-foot hole in the brick wall adjacent to the Pine Beach Elementary School's media room. There were no skid marks at the scene, indicating there was no attempt to stop or swerve, and officials believe the car crashed into the school at full speed.

"When the vehicle hit the building, the back end of it lifted up and it sat against the building on its nose," said Pine Beach Police Chief John Sgro.

It's a tragedy no one can comprehend. Police said 20-year-old Matthew Budesa crashed his car into the wall, killing himself as well as 19-year-old Kimberly Van Gorden and 21-year-old Matt Witzgall, a passenger in the back seat.

As CBS 2's Christine Sloan reports, investigators are looking at everything, including whether it was an accident, suicide pact, lover's quarrel or if drugs or alcohol were involved.

"What the motivation is or how this transpired, I can't comment at this point what the circumstances are," said Ocean County Prosecutor Michael Mohl.

Neighbors say they are shocked and saddened by the accident

The crash happened just after 4:30 a.m. A school employee found the car around 6:45 a.m. and called police.

The driver of the vehicle, Budesa, grew up around the corner from the school.

"He's a very good kid that's all I could say," one neighbor said. "I can't believe it, it's just making me upset."

Budesa was a 2009 graduate of Toms River South High School, where students were devastated.

"I know he did track and it was a shocking when I found this out in the morning," senior Wayne Morrison said.

"Just three kids driving into … a car into a wall. I don't know what to say. It blew my mind when I heard about it," junior Adam Caughlin said.

Ashley Wade told CBS 2's Derricke Dennis that Budesa was not the type to take risks.

"I was in the car with him a lot. He was a really good driver. He never took chances or anything," Wade told Dennis.

Van Gorden, of Beachwood, was in the front passenger seat.

"We're gonna try to get through this tragedy, and hopefully the other families do too," Mandy Wilson, Van Gorden's aunt, told Dennis on Thursday night.

"It's very sad because she was a wonderful person. She had a bright future. To see it taken short...it's sad," one friend told Sloan.

"She actually wanted to become a police officer. She was in school for law," another friend said. "We're really torn about this and it hurts."

Prosecutors said Witzgall was from Toms River.

"It's shocking, for something around this area, for something like this," Karissa Salas said.

The accident remains under investigation and autopsies are planned.

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