Ontario County Sheriff Phil Povero's Wednesday Press Conference Fairport High School Principal David Paddock on the Tragic Accident
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Fairport Tragedy Complete Coverage
(East Bloomfield, N.Y.) -- Five recent Fairport High School graduates were killed Tuesday night after a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer around 10 p.m. on Routes 5 and 20 in East Bloomfield.
Ontario County Sheriff Phil Povero said a Chevy Trailblazer driven by Bailey Goodman, 17, was traveling east on Routes 5 & 20 near the intersection at Route 64. Goodman had successfully passed another vehicle. Povera said they believe Goodman then overcorrected and went back into the westbound lane where it hit the truck head-on.
Both the SUV and tractor trailer caught fire on impact. A police officer early on the scene said that the flames shot up 50 feet high.
Besides Goodman, the victims have been identified as Hannah Congdon, Meredith McLure, Sara Monnat, and Katie Shirley. All five graduated from Fairport High School last Thursday; four of the five were cheerleaders.
The truck driver—David Laverty, 50, of Olean--escaped immediately and was unharmed. He told police that he tried to get to the other car, but was unable.
Police said there was nothing Laverty could have done to avoid the accident.
The girls were headed to a cottage at Keuka Lake. Four other girls on the same trip were in another car. They witnessed the accident and called 911.
The Fairport School District is inviting students, staff, and parents to gather at Fairport High School until 8 p.m. Wednesday. The district will continue to make support available throughout the week and as needed.
The road closed overnight as crews cleared the area and police investigated. It reopened by 6 a.m. However, the scene is still being monitored and controlled.
The truck driver was bringing paper products from Springfield, Mass. to Buffalo and the goods were being off-loaded so the damaged trailer could be taken away.
The flames singed some electrical lines and burned through cable and phone lines. Crews continue to work and restore service to nearby residents.
