Following a high school basketball game, three young women, ages 18, 19, and 21, were passengers inside a Toyota Corolla that, tragically, crashed into a GMC Terrain in Missouri. This resulted in the deaths of the three women and the GMC Terrain's driver, a 38-year-old man.
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According to PEOPLE, the fatal car crash took place on Friday, February 18, at around 8 p.m. on Highway 54. The women were returning home after attending a high school basketball game. A Missouri State Highway Patrol reveals that the Toyota Corolla, carrying the women, was driven by a 49-year-old man. Reportedly, the Corolla failed to stop at a stop sign, which led to it crashing into the GMC Terrain.
Two hours after the crash, according to the report, all victims were pronounced dead at 10:47 p.m. The highway patrol report does not mention the names of the victims. However, tributes in social media identified the three women as Climax Springs School District graduates.
Victims Named
The Climax Springs School District named the victims as Ava Wolfe, Jayden Butterfield, and Violet Colorado. In their statement, which is currently inaccessible, the school district paid tribute to the killed women.
"Last evening, after attending an away basketball game, three recent Climax Springs graduates were involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident. Ava Wolfe, Jayden Butterfield, and Violet Corado," the statement reads, per KSNF. "Ava and Jayden were both beloved employees of the District, who dedicated their time and talent to our students each day. As students, all of these individuals left a legacy within our school."
Additionally, the school district will be hosting counselors who will help any student or staff members who have been shaken by the tragic news. "As the families and our community grieve the loss of lives which held many great things ahead of them, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers," the statement concludes.
The man driving the Corolla alongside a 38-ýear-old woman inside the vehicle at the time are both severely injured. Moreover, two 16-year-old girls and an 18-year-old suffered minor to moderate injuries, while an additional 39-year-old woman was seriously injured. The identity of the GMC Terrain driver who died has not been revealed.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up to help the families of the three dead young women. "These beautiful souls were part of three different families and have left the community devastated," reads the GoFundMe.
