NE - 4 Teenage Girls Die in Fiery Single Vehicle Automobile Crash, 5th Burned, Gretna, 17 June 2019

[PastTense]

Note in case anyone missed it, there was a biographical article on each of the 5 girls--click on each of the 5 highlited names in post #16.

 

[Snick1946]

I may have missed it but I never noted any obituaries or funeral notices for any of these girls. The article the last poster alluded to was pretty detailed. I was just wondering if the families opted for private services, cannot fault them for that.

 

[Snick1946]

Local newscast this evening- the lone survivor went home today. I cannot begin to imagine what she is living through. She will need a lot of love for her healing.

 

[PastTense]

A newspaper article repeating what Snick1946 heard on the radio that Roan had gone home:
Lone survivor of Gretna crash that killed 4 of her classmates is released from hospital

One new point:
Brandon was ejected from the vehicle, as was at least one other girl, authorities said. Barth was the driver.

So this is one of those very rare cases where it looks like wearing a seat belt was detrimental. The girls strapped in would have died of burns/smoke inhalation--if they didn't die first of the blunt force trauma. But Roan didn't die of burns/smoke inhalation as she was thrown clear.

 

[PrairieWind]

A newspaper article repeating what Snick1946 heard on the radio that Roan had gone home:
Lone survivor of Gretna crash that killed 4 of her classmates is released from hospital

One new point:
Brandon was ejected from the vehicle, as was at least one other girl, authorities said. Barth was the driver.

So this is one of those very rare cases where it looks like wearing a seat belt was detrimental. The girls strapped in would have died of burns/smoke inhalation--if they didn't die first of the blunt force trauma. But Roan didn't die of burns/smoke inhalation as she was thrown clear.

You may be right. Usually getting ejected is the worst thing, but in this case it probably saved her life.

 

[Cubby]

https://dmv.nebraska.gov/sites/dmv.nebraska.gov/files/doc/manuals/engdrivermanual.pdf

A driver can get a Provisional Operators Permit at age 16. During the first six months of the POP, the holder can only operate a motor vehicle with no more than one passenger who is not an immediate family member and who is under nineteen years of age.

When I do look at the ages of these girls, there appears to be a huge elephant in the room. What a horrible tragedy.

Very weak graduated drivers license laws i. NE. Here in IL a teen driver under 18 can only have one non related passenger under the age of 20.

I hope this tragedy changes the teen driving laws in NE. So incredibly sad. Praying for all the families involved and the lone survivor.

 

[Snick1946]

I live in NE and am not holding my breath for this to change anything. This is a very Libertarian state. A large segment of our population behaves as if government is their enemy. Lots of rural lawmakers dominate our legislate.

Someone earlier referred to the 'elephant in the room' on this tragedy. I wonder if the accident final report will be made public?

 

[PrairieWind]

I live in NE and am not holding my breath for this to change anything. This is a very Libertarian state. A large segment of our population behaves as if government is their enemy. Lots of rural lawmakers dominate our legislate.

Someone earlier referred to the 'elephant in the room' on this tragedy. I wonder if the accident final report will be made public?

I am very libertarian in many ways, born in a small agri town. But I think graduated drivers licenses are a good idea and I think there really could be support from the libertarian side for this. But it has to brought up in the right way.

 

[PastTense]

"Hundreds of people from the Gretna community gathered at Peterson Park on Saturday to remember the 4 teens who were killed in a single car crash on June 17th. The benefit, called 4 the 4, is donating all the proceeds to the families of the 5 teens involved in the crash.

Wil Stephany, an organizer of the benefit, says he wanted to bring the community together after the crash. "It was just such a life changing thing for so many families in the Gretna area, it affected so many people and we just really wanted to get the community together and thank the first responders . . . help those families out so they have options on how they can deal with this," Stephany says. Stephany says the entire community stepped up to pitch in...

Caryln Berganti and Cameron Bush, students and dancers at Gretna high school, were friends with all the victims. Two of them, Alex and Abby, were on the Gretna dance team with them. "Even to This point sometimes it just doesn't feel real, that like I'm going to go to school at the beg of the year and they're going to be in my classes. . . so its just confusing, still," Bush says. "I'm just so used to dancing with them because I've danced with them since I was a little kid, so going to dance practice everyday is so much different and harder," Berganti says."
'4 the 4' fundraiser supports families of Gretna crash victims

"For the first time, we're hearing from the father of one of the 'Gretna Five.' John Minardi lost his daughter Alex in the June crash. Abby Barth, Addisyn Pfeifer and Kloe Odermatt also died in the crash. Roan Brandon was the lone survivor.

Minardi said he will never be whole again, but the Gretna community is giving him strength..."It's a special place," Minardi said. "It's a very special place." Minardi is finding strength in his community as he grieves the loss of his daughter, Alex. "It's been a very rough couple of weeks," said Minardi. "It's a very difficult time. It's a hole you'll never fill.""
Father of Gretna crash victim speaks for the first time

 

[Snick1946]

Sarpy County officials identify 4 victims in Gretna crash along with survivor

Breaking news in the past hour; local officials have announced that alcohol and speed played a factor in the accident. Per a story I viewed on a different channel than the above link, the lone survivor now has retained an attorney.

Focus now is on how they got the liquor. Lord, I hope none of the parents were involved..

Abbey Barth, the driver, had a BAC of 0.09. She would have failed a breathalyzer test.

 

[1&2&3]

The problem is your child may know the rules that she isn’t allowed to have anyone in the car under a certain age when she is driving, however, she breaks the rule. She thinks mom and dad will never find out! She or he.

This situation happens too many times! Thankfully the results aren’t as devastating as this accident.

This teenager will need lots of help and therapy in the coming years. One evening of partying,and many lives destroyed. Too sad.

 

[fabvab]

This was so sad and their deaths will affect the survivor, the families of the other girls, and all their school friends. I wonder why the girl who survived retained the attorney.

 

[PastTense]

"The 16-year-old driver of the car that crashed in Sarpy County in June, killing her and three of her friends, had a blood alcohol reading of .09 after the crash, a forensic examination found. The Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that Abigail Barth was driving the eastbound 2017 Ford Fusion when it veered off Platteview Road just west of 180th Street, came to rest in a creek and caught fire.

Accident investigators determined the car was traveling over 90 mph at the time of the crash, which was reported about 11:10 p.m. June 17. The posted speed limit on Platteview Road is 55 mph...

In Nebraska, it is illegal for anyone to drive with a blood-alcohol content of .08 or higher. The legal drinking age in the state is 21. It’s illegal for people in the state who are under age 21 to have a blood alcohol reading above .02.

Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov said his office has yet to receive reports on the case and isn’t thinking about charges against Brandon. “We’re not in any hurry to do that — she’s got some hurdles she’s got to get over, medical, and all that,” he said Tuesday afternoon.

A higher priority for Sarpy County law enforcement, Polikov said, is figuring out where the girls got the alcohol."
Teen driver in deadly crash near Gretna had been drinking and was going over 90 mph, officials say

She was going a lot faster than I thought; but the high speed explains why the accident was so deadly and why the car burst into flames.

 

[TristanP]

Very weak graduated drivers license laws i. NE. Here in IL a teen driver under 18 can only have one non related passenger under the age of 20.

I hope this tragedy changes the teen driving laws in NE. So incredibly sad. Praying for all the families involved and the lone survivor.

Getting driving laws changed isn’t going to help if people are willing to break the law. And teens are convinced they’re invincible and nothing will happen to them. I’ve read about so, so many deadly crashes over the years that involve teen drivers with passengers that technically shouldn’t have been riding with them by law.

I’m sure these girls were just hanging out, having fun and trying not to be bored on a summer night. I wish they’d made it safely home.

 

[MimosaMornings]

"The 16-year-old driver of the car that crashed in Sarpy County in June, killing her and three of her friends, had a blood alcohol reading of .09 after the crash, a forensic examination found. The Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that Abigail Barth was driving the eastbound 2017 Ford Fusion when it veered off Platteview Road just west of 180th Street, came to rest in a creek and caught fire.

Accident investigators determined the car was traveling over 90 mph at the time of the crash, which was reported about 11:10 p.m. June 17. The posted speed limit on Platteview Road is 55 mph...

In Nebraska, it is illegal for anyone to drive with a blood-alcohol content of .08 or higher. The legal drinking age in the state is 21. It’s illegal for people in the state who are under age 21 to have a blood alcohol reading above .02.

Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov said his office has yet to receive reports on the case and isn’t thinking about charges against Brandon. “We’re not in any hurry to do that — she’s got some hurdles she’s got to get over, medical, and all that,” he said Tuesday afternoon.

A higher priority for Sarpy County law enforcement, Polikov said, is figuring out where the girls got the alcohol."
Teen driver in deadly crash near Gretna had been drinking and was going over 90 mph, officials say

She was going a lot faster than I thought; but the high speed explains why the accident was so deadly and why the car burst into flames.

Oh no! Makes my heart hurt for those families

 

[LadyL]

This was so sad and their deaths will affect the survivor, the families of the other girls, and all their school friends. I wonder why the girl who survived retained the attorney.

[bbm]

likely to sue the insurance company or parents of the driver

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

From your link Past Tense:

“Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov said his office has yet to receive reports on the case and isn’t thinking about charges against Brandon. “We’re not in any hurry to do that — she’s got some hurdles she’s got to get over, medical, and all that,” he said Tuesday afternoon.”


BBM

So there is a possibility that Roan, the only survivor, could face charges? This girl has managed to survive this horrendous wreck, lost 4 bff’s & now has to learn to live with burns from the wreck, not to mention the unbelievable pain she has endured, physically & emotionally. Is that really a possibility or did I read it wrong? Why did he even mention charges at all?

 

[Snick1946]

Polikov is a real hard case. A couple years back he charged the young driver of a jeep who missed a stop sign and suffered an accident, killing a passenger. The driver had spent months hospitalized, she was hauled into court upon release. He did not however press for jail time, she was required to perform community service.

I too am wondering what is going on with the Brandons retaining an attorney. Precautionary, perhaps? I also fear when more comes out there may be bitter recriminations among these families.

 

[PastTense]

So there is a possibility that Roan, the only survivor, could face charges? This girl has managed to survive this horrendous wreck, lost 4 bff’s & now has to learn to live with burns from the wreck, not to mention the unbelievable pain she has endured, physically & emotionally. Is that really a possibility or did I read it wrong? Why did he even mention charges at all?

I think LE strongly wants to find out who supplied the alcohol--and then throw the book at them. Roan very probably knows. Roan probably won't say who it is if he/she is a personal friend or relative. But if LE threatens her with criminal charges she might talk.

 

[Elainera]

I also fear when more comes out there may be bitter recriminations among these families.

I think that is very likely.