CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — A head-on crash involving a school district truck took the life of a Castle View High School student Tuesday morning. A Douglas County School District employee in the truck was also injured.
Tuesday night, the Douglas County Coroner identified the student killed in the crash as Kyra Connolly, 17.
Emergency responders arrived at Butterfield Crossing Drive and North Sungold Lane in Castle Rock just after 10 a.m.
The Town of Castle Rock says its preliminary investigation shows Connolly was driving on the wrong side of the road and side-swiped another car before hitting the district's truck head-on.
Why she was on the wrong side of the road is still under investigation.
First responders rushed the Douglas County School District employee to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, but that person has since been released. A third driver involved in the crash did not suffer injuries.
Troopers closed down streets in the area to investigate the crash.
Connolly was remembered at a vigil Tuesday evening at 7 attended by many of her classmates and others from the community.
Students hold a vigil in memory of a #CastleView student killed in a car crash @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/JUsGmb4DHg
— Marc Stewart Denver7 (@MarcKMGH) September 21, 2016
“I just want to provide support, if anybody needs anything, we’re all here. The whole community is backing you up,” said student Roman Sanchez, who dropped off flowers at the memorial in Kyra’s honor.
Kyra’s death is a loss for the entire community. Among the people stopping by, strangers who share the pain felt at the school.
“I felt compelled. Could have been my granddaughter, could have been my daughter,” said Castle Rock resident Shirley Anderson. “I don’t know her, but I love her, because she’s part of the community.”
The Douglas County School District tweeted:
Our thoughts are with the family of Castle View student who passed away following an accident near the school today. https://t.co/xQfW0jsmOV
— Douglas Cty Schools (@dcsdk12) September 20, 2016
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