Flat Tire Suspected In Rt. 24 Crash That Killed 12-Year-Old From Norton
AVON (CBS) - State Police think a blown out tire may be to blame for a crash that killed a 12-year-old girl on Thursday.
The crash happened on Route 24 Northbound around 5 p.m.
State Police say the blown tire appears to have sent the truck swerving into a guard rail. The vehicle then rolled over several times. Police say it appears none of the victims were wearing seat belts.
The driver, 36-year-old Sandra Ouellette of Norton was thrown from the truck.
She was taken to Mass General Hospital. Rear seat passenger, 21-year-old Stephanie Rogers of Norton was not ejected. A witness pulled her from the car after the crash. She was taken to Boston Medical Center. Both are expected to survive their injuries.
The young victim who was killed in the crash, identified by Norton police as Angel Pina, was also thrown from the truck. State Police say she died instantly.
Pina was a 5th grader at the H.A. Yelle school and was scheduled to attend the Norton Middle School in September.
Norton police said school counselors would be available for students beginning on Monday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Yelle School.
In a statement, State Police offered their sympathies for the victims and vowed to find out exactly what went wrong.
"We extend our hearts to the family of the young girl who lost her life. Through a meticulous investigation, we will speak for her, and for the surviving victims, by providing answers about how and why this happened," State Police spokesperson David Procopio said in a statement.
