Pennsylvania

Teen Girl Speeding Before Crash That Killed 3 Bucks County Boys: Witness

Questions remain as to whether the girl had a driver's license

A northeastern Pennsylvania district attorney is investigating whether a 15-year-old girl, driving an SUV packed with teens, was speeding around a curve when the vehicle crashed this weekend, killing three boys from Bucks County.

Ryan Lesher, Shamus Digney and Cullen Keffer, all 15-year-old sophomores at Council Rock High School South in Holland, Pennsylvania, died after the 2001 Chevy Suburban flipped over several times along Goose Pond Road in Paupack Township on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

Along with the driver, a 16-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy were also injured in the one-vehicle crash, officials said.

Wayne County D.A. Janine Edwards said the girls picked up the boys from the Wallenpaupack Lake Estates development and went to a breakfast spot. On the way back, the district attorney said a witness saw the SUV traveling at high speed right before the right tire left the asphalt. It was then, at the curve, that the vehicle flipped over, officials said.

Lesher, Digney and Keffer were taken to a medical center in Scranton and pronounced dead. The two girls and the fourth boy, who is also from Bucks County, were treated and released from area hospitals as well, officials said.

The driver's name has not been released, but officials believe she is from the Westchester County, New York, area. They say the SUV she was driving belonged to her father, who owns a home in the development where the teens were staying.

It is unclear whether the 15-year-old girl had a license to drive. In both Pennsylvania and New York, you must be 16 years-old to obtain a driving permit, according to both state's department of motor vehicles.

Pennsylvania State Police continue to investigate the crash. Edwards said charges are pending against the 15-year-old driver. However, due to her age, those charges will not be made public.

The boys who died were all athletes at Council Rock South. The school has been offering grief counseling for the past two days. A vigil was held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the school to honor the teens and over 2000 people attended.

"They made all their friends laugh," said Matt Stewart, a Senior at the school. "They had smiles on their faces."

Keffer will be buried on Thursday, Lesher on Friday and Digney on Saturday.

Contact Us