The island of Grand Manan, N.B. is mourning the loss of a promising teenager who was killed in a single-vehicle crash on the weekend.
Police say a minivan carrying five teens left the road and struck a ditch on Whistle Road around 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
A 17-year-old girl who was a passenger in the vehicle died at the scene. She has been identified as Danielle Park.
Police say two other girls and two boys between the ages of 14 and 17 were taken to hospital. They have since been released.
The teens are from Grand Manan.
“Everyone realizes the loss that we’ve had,” says Grand Manan Mayor Dennis Greene. “One of the things that is bad about this too is that anyone else who has lost loved ones in an accident, this brings back the memories and they have to go through it again so it’s that family and other families that we’re thinking of.”
Flags are flying at half-mast at Grand Manan High School, where Park graduated last month.
She was class valedictorian and Greene says she contributed to her school and community.
“Anything to do with the school, you know, the fundraising for the graduating class, the car washes, she contributed a lot to the community,” he says.
Park was also known for her skills on the basketball court and was interested in music and the arts. Community leaders say her death has hit island residents hard.
“Especially a young person that was well known in the community, she did a lot of volunteer work,” says Greene. “It was a person you could see would be going places.
Park was to attend university in the fall with plans of becoming a teacher.
An RCMP collision reconstructionist is trying to determine why the van went out of control.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Mike Cameron
