Grief Counselors On Hand In Utica Schools After Crash Kills 3 Teens

SHELBY TOWNSHIP (AP) — A suburban Detroit school district is preparing to help students deal with news of a crash that killed three 17-year-old boys and critically injured two other 17-year-olds.

The five teens all attended the Utica Community Schools. Grief counselors and other personnel will be on hand starting Monday to offer support at the district's schools starting Monday, said Superintendent Christine M. Johns.

The Macomb County sheriff's department says the teens were in a speeding Jaguar that landed in the Stony Creek River on Friday evening. The site is in Stoney Creek Metropark in Shelby Township, 35 miles north of Detroit.

The crash killed Jonathan Manolios and Emanuel Malaj of Sterling Heights and Michael Wells of Macomb Township.

"This will undoubtedly be a difficult time for the entire Sterling Heights community," Sterling Heights mayor Michael C. Taylor said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families, friends, teachers and classmates of the students."

The three victims were active in sports, according to The Macomb Daily of Mount Clemens. Manolios played football at Stevenson High School, where Malaj was a wrestler. Wells was a wrestler and football player at Henry Ford High School.

Two other 17-year-old boys from Shelby Township were in critical condition at Henry Ford Hospital in Clinton Township. Students and others held vigils late Saturday outside the hospital and at Stevenson High School.

"In these challenging times, I know our community members will come together to support our children, families, friends and neighbors as they have in the past," Johns said in a letter to parents. "Please keep these families in your thoughts and prayers."

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.