Corinth Holders High School students hurt in crash north of Selma
SELMA, NC (WTVD) -- Five high school students were taken to the hospital Thursday after a single-car crash in the 1500 block of Thanksgiving Fire Department Rd. north of Selma.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol said it happened around 2:45 p.m. about half a mile south of NC42 East.
Troopers said a 2002 Acura was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a curve and went out of control.
It rolled once in a field before hitting a power pole.
Sixteen-year-old Ana Gonzalez - who was the middle backseat passenger in the car - was thrown from the vehicle. She was listed in critical condition at WakeMed.
Firefighters said they had to cut one other person from the wreckage.
All five people in the car are students at Corinth Holders High School located just outside of Wendell.
Troopers said the four others besides Gonzales have non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the car was identified as 16-year-old Fermin Rodriguez, Jr..
Highway Patrol identified the other three passengers as 16-year-old Jovanny Vargas, 15-year-old Sergio Garcia, and and 16-year-old Nora Garcia Zuniga.
Vargas was sitting in the front passenger seat, the Highway Patrol said. Garcia and Garcia Zuniga were sitting in the back with Gonzalez.
Rodriguez Jr., Vargas, and Gonzalez are all in the 11th grade, according to a spokesperson with Johnston County Schools. Garcia Zuniga is in 10th grade, and Garcia is in 9th grade.
Investigators estimated the car was going 80 mph in a 55 zone before the crash. None of the three backseat passengers were wearing seat belts.
"This could have been a lot worse. Thankfully it's not, but yet we're still at that point where we still have somebody that's in critical condition," Lieutenant Jeff Gordon, Highway Patrol spokesperson said. "So our thoughts and prayers go out that family."
Gordon said Highway Patrol is still investigating, and waiting to see how Gonzalez's condition develops, before deciding on the appropriate charges.
