Authorities say two teenagers lost their lives after a vehicle left the roadway and entered Lake Erie early Friday morning near Beaver Park Marina in Lorain.
According to the Lorain Police Department, officers responded around 4:15 a.m. to reports of a downed utility pole near West Erie Avenue and Oak Point Road. Around the same time, dispatchers also received calls about an injured 18-year-old man who had entered a nearby home seeking help.
When officers located the teen, authorities said his injuries appeared consistent with a vehicle crash. He told investigators he had been sitting in the back seat of a car driven by a female driver, with another female passenger in the front seat. According to police, the vehicle struck at least one utility pole before leaving the road and entering the water at the marina. The teen reported that he was able to escape through a rear window as the vehicle began to sink.
Officers began searching the area shortly afterward. The Lorain Police Underwater Recovery Team located the vehicle in the marina shortly after 8 a.m. One victim was found inside the car, and another was located nearby a short time later. Both were pronounced dead.
The Lorain County Coroner’s Office later identified the victims as 18-year-old Lucille Hopkins and 17-year-old Paige Williams.
In a statement, EHOVE Career Center Superintendent Chris M. McCully said the school community is grieving the loss of a current student and a recent graduate. The school announced that counseling resources will be available to support students and staff in the coming days.
The surviving teen is being treated at Mercy Health. Authorities say the crash remains under investigation.
As the community mourns this loss, the incident raises an important question: what steps can communities take to help prevent tragic roadway accidents, especially during late-night travel?
