Warwick Police: Student Injured In Fatal Driver's Ed Crash Clinging To Life
UPDATED July 16, at 12:40 p.m.
GOSHEN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A third student injured in the driver's ed car crash that killed two of his classmates and left another critically injured was clinging to life Thursday morning, Warwick Police told CBS2.
The police report contradicts what the Goshen School District told CBS2 Wednesday night.
The school district had said earlier that Lucas O'Connor, 16, was pronounced dead Wednesday evening. He is being treated at Westchester County Medical Center in Valhalla.
The crash happened Tuesday morning in nearby Warwick. There were four students and an instructor in the driver's ed sedan when it came to the intersection of County Road 1 and Blooms Corners Road.
The student behind the wheel stopped at a flashing red light and then attempted to make a left turn on the cross street when a tractor-trailer struck the rear driver's side, authorities said.
By looking at the truck, it hardly even looks like it was in an accident, CBS2's Lou Young reported. State Police have now inspected it for possible defects, but preliminary forensics at the scene seem to indicate the student driver pulled out, and hesitated for some reason and the truck just couldn't stop.
The truck wasn't pulling a trailer and the lack of weight on the rear wheels reportedly made it difficult for it to stop so suddenly.
Goshen High School Mourns After 2 Teens Killed In Driver's Ed Crash
Antonio Baglivo and Paul VanDoran, both 16, were killed at the time of the accident.
Goshen's schools superintendent, Daniel Connor, told Young they were great kids from good families.
"One (Baglivo) was a football player. One (VanDoran) was part of a stage crew," Connor said. "Both were great kids, well-liked by their peers, extremely well-liked by staff. Really good kids, 16-year-old boys. You know, you get up in the morning, you figure I'm going to driver ed class, I'm going to have my instruction and then I'm going to drive that day. And to think 24 hours ago things changed the way they did."
Claudia Krebs, who was driving, remained hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday at Westchester Medical Center, Young reported.
The 60-year-old instructor, Julio Angleto, an employee of the Decat Driving School of Middletown, was taken to Orange County Medical Center for treatment, along with the truck driver, August Harlacher, 61, an employee of Non-Stop Transport of Port Jervis.
Connor told WCBS 880's Sean Adams that surrounding districts have sent counselors, who will be available at Goshen High School all week for students, parents and faculty.
He said he is concerned about students who may be in need of counseling and are not in the area because of the summer break.
"And how do they deal with this?" Connor said. "Well, we want them to know that we're available. And we'll be available for them as long as possible. And then of course, come Sept. 1, then we ought to deal with it again.
"Our high school is going to be a different place come this fall."
Flags were flown at half-staff outside the school Wednesday.
There have been no charges filed in the crash.
The investigation is ongoing. Authorities are looking at the intersection for possible problems.
