A vigil is being planned for two Southington students, Annmarie Olender, 16, and Olivia Fusco, 14, who were victims in a fatal accident yesterday afternoon.
According to state police, a Hundai Accent carrying the two students crashed on I-84 eastbound, just west of the Queen Street exit at approximately 2:50 p.m. The car lost control and overturned in the medium between the eastbound and westbound lanes.
The accident caused backups on I-84 until about 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening while emergency personnel tried to clear the accident. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
Superintendent Timothy Connellan released a message this morning informing parents of the tragedy and that students are organizing a vigil to be held on the Southington High School softball field, today, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“We lost two young members of our community and our Southington Public Schools family in a tragic accident,” Connellan said in the release. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of these two students and we grieve with them for their loss.”
Support services will be available at two locations, Southington High School and the Southington Municipal Center through Youth Services. Support will be available from Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Counselors, social workers, and psychologists will be available for students, parents, and staff members who would like to avail themselves of the services.
“Students, parents, guardians, faculty, or staff members should feel free to reach out to administrators at either Southington High School or Kennedy Middle School or to staff at Southington Youth Services for additional or continued support,” Connellan said in the release.
State police are asking that anyone with information about the accident should contact Trooper William Bevans of Troop H at (860) 534-1000, ext. 6136.