3 Hollister High students killed in car crash, school district says
Hollister High School. Photo: High school FB page
GILROY, Calif. - Three students from Hollister High School were killed, and a former student was critically injured in a car crash, the San Benito High School District said in a news release on Wednesday.
"It is with a heavy heart that we share tragic news affecting our school community," Hollister High School Principal Kevin Medeiros and Supt. Shawn Tennenbaum said in a letter to the community. "This loss is profoundly felt by all of us."
What we know:
The crash was reported on Tuesday just before 7 p.m. when the driver traveling west on Shore Road west of Lake Road just outside of Hollister lost control of the vehicle, and it crossed into opposing traffic and struck a car going east on Shore Road, California Highway Patrol officer Alfredo Uribe said.
The CHP reported that not only did the three students die and their friend suffer injuries, but the driver of the other car also was injured and taken by helicopter to a local hospital.
What we don't know:
The exact cause and circumstances of the crash are under investigation. At this time, it is unknown whether alcohol or drugs were contributing factors in the crash, the CHP said.
The school district said that counselors and mental health clinicians will be available this week to provide support to students.
The district officials said in times like these, the community should come together to support one another.
Big picture view:
This is the second Bay Area crash to have killed three young people at once in roughly two months.
About 100 miles north, three college sophomores, all graduates of Piedmont High School, died on the day after Thanksgiving when the Cybertruck they were in slammed into a tree and retaining wall. A fourth student was able to escape and was taken to the hospital.
Piedmont students killed in fiery Cybertruck crash: What we know
Over the weekend, the city of Piedmont released the names and brief statements from the families of three 2023 Piedmont High School graduates who died in a fiery Cybertruck crash on the day before Thanksgiving.
What you can do:
CHP Captain Noel Coady said he extends his condolences to the families of the people who were killed in Hollister.
"Obeying traffic laws is every driver's responsibility, with profound consequences when ignored," he said in a statement.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hollister-Gilroy Area office at (408) 427-0700.
EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the city where the deaths occurred.