2 high school students dead, 2 more hurt after car crashes into tree

LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — Two high school students were killed, and two others were hospitalized following a violent crash Sunday morning in Lancaster County, according to the Highway Patrol.

The crash happened around 7:30 a.m. on Highway 521 at Rebound Road, near Van Wyck.

Troopers told Channel 9 the car went off the road and hit a tree, killing the driver and a passenger.

Four South Pointe High School students were in the car. Two died at the scene while two others, both 17 years old, were flown to the hospital in Charlotte.

No names have been released, but Channel 9's Mark Becker spoke with one of the victim's mothers, Luvetta Smith, who identified her son as Quan Smith.

She said Quan had just gotten the car for his 17th birthday. He and a 17-year-old girl were killed in the crash.

"When they came to the door, because I knew it was going to be some bad new," Smith said. "My heart is not only aching for my son, but for the other three involved. They were just being happy kids. No child is perfect, no child. And no parent wants to get that call, your child will walk through that door again."

The Rock Hill Schools Superintendent Dr. Bill Cook released a statement, saying: “Our prayers and thoughts are with our students, families and friends who have been involved and affected by this tragic event. Our entire community is deeply saddened.”

School is closed for Labor Day but grief counselors were available when students and staff returned on Tuesday.

"One thing teenagers are is they are incredibly resilient," Rock Hill Schools spokesperson Mychal Frost said. "It is unfortunate that that is a trait in many respects for teenagers, but in this case, teenagers face trauma and tragedy and handle it a little differently than adults. But as adults, it's our responsibility through the counseling to keep an eye on them to ensure that they stay in the right mind as best as possible."

Frost said the whole district feels the loss, but counselors were on hand to listen to those who feel the loss more.

"We are a family. The district is a family and situations like this bring us closer together," Frost said. "This morning those students were met with the counselors visited classrooms to take the pulse of what was going on and if students needed to leave. There was an opportunity to meet as a whole group."

The crash is still under investigation.

Highway Patrol told Channel 9 they will be sending a reconstruction team to the crash site to investigate further.

This comes just weeks after a South Pointe graduate and former football star died in a wreck.

Last month, Savion White died in a crash. He had just graduated and was set to play football at Newberry College this fall.

Cox Media Group