Police investigating crash that killed girl, 14
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Family members, neighbors, and police continue to look for answers about a crash that killed a 14-year-old girl.
The fiery crash happened early Tuesday afternoon in the Hilltop near the intersection of West Mound Street and Highland Avenue.
“It was very sad around here yesterday, very emotional," Pamela Dean said. Dean lives just down the street from where a Hyundai Sonata and Lincoln MKC collided. She said she heard the collision and saw the aftermath.
“It was real loud, seemed like it was an explosion and that's what made me run to the front window to see," Dean said.
On Tuesday, the Columbus Division of Police (CPD) identified Haleigh Abshire as the girl who died. There is a memorial set up for her at the intersection, which includes flowers, candles, and a balloon with the message "Long Live My Baby Sister."
“I knocked on this house right here, I knocked on that one, I knocked on this one, to get water, something to try and turn off the fire, nobody opened the doors, a lot of people came we tried to get through the back glass and try to get her out, we couldn't," said Luis Irizary, a neighbor.
Irizary said he was about to get in his car when he heard the crash around the corner. As a father himself, he said his heart goes out to Abshire's family.
“There’s really no words for the pain they’re going through. That's a 14-year-old girl that had a long way to go," he said.
Irizary said he saw what he described as three teenage boys running from the scene of the crash.
Investigators are still looking for people who fled and trying to identify who was driving the vehicles, according to CPD. Police have not responded to a request on whether either of the vehicles was reported stolen.