Followup: Denny, Sealth students among victims in South Park crash

| South Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Tribute to Lucie Hernandez; photo courtesy Denny International Middle School)
The two teenagers killed in Sunday night’s South Park crash were current and former Denny International Middle School students, confirms principal Jeff Clark, who also identifies one of the survivors as a student at adjacent Chief Sealth International High School. He is publicly sharing this letter sent home to Denny families today:

On Sunday evening there was a car crash in South Park. Tragically, the driver, Mario Luis Martinez Herrera, a former Denny student, was killed; four other teens were transported to Harborview Medical Center. One additional person died from injuries sustained in the accident at Harborview shortly after arriving.

We were deeply saddened to learn that the teen who passed away at Harborview was a Denny eighth-grader, Luciana “Lucie” Hernandez. Lucie’s older sister, Karla, a ninth-grader at Chief Sealth International High School, was also in the accident and is being treated for very serious injuries at Harborview. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy go out to the family and friends of all three students.

Today at school we had a moment of silence, an eighth-grade class meeting, individual and group grief counseling, and a place for interested students to come together at lunchtime. Additionally, students had an opportunity to begin to create a tribute which will be displayed at school and then taken to the service to be given to Lucie’s family.

While we are working to support students at school, you know your child better than anyone. You can help your child simply by talking and listening to her or him. If there is anything in particular we can do to support your child, please contact Assistant Principal, Ms. Rangel, at 252-9006 or pjrangel@seattleschools.org.

As a community, we will be developing plans to support the impacted families. Current ideas will be discussed at our Family PTSA meeting tonight at 7:00 pm in the Denny library.

Police are continuing to investigate the crash, which we covered in more detail on our South Park site, The South Park News.

Lisa November 13, 2012 (3:59 pm)

Just saw on KOMO website that the kids were coming home from the mall and another car on the street organized an impromtu car race. Very sad.

WSB November 13, 2012 (4:12 pm)

That is what one very young survivor allegedly told a TV reporter (and in what context that child talked to them, I don’t know – staked out at the hospital? or?). So far as I know, police have not commented, and I would withhold judgment until more is known. – TR

Michael Waldo November 13, 2012 (5:56 pm)

Mario Luis Martinez Herrera, the former Denny student, is/was a current Evergreen high School student.

WSB November 13, 2012 (6:01 pm)

Michael – thank you. I meant to ask Highline Public Schools’ media person earlier today and had not gotten the chance, things suddenly got chaotic with other stories. – TR

t November 13, 2012 (8:04 pm)

There were other students in the car from the Evergreen campus as well.

halyn November 14, 2012 (11:07 am)

So sad–my son is an Evergreen student and my daughter is a Denny student. My son called to tell me about this,very upset, as he knew Luis and considered him a friend and as I was consoling him, my phone beeped and it was my daughter calling, also upset, and disbelieving that someone she saw everyday could be gone. It’s been hard at my house, with two grieving children–I can’t begin to fathom how agonizing it is for the loved ones of the victims.
So, so heartbreaking. Kids just don’t realize how quickly life can change, how in an instant your life can be shattered or taken away entirely. Whether he was racing or just driving too fast, or just looked down for a minute to mess with the radio, the consequences of his actions were just so huge, so irreversible, so unfair. My heart just hurts for the parents and families of these kids. This is terrible.

laurel steele November 14, 2012 (11:36 am)

I went to school with Lucie and she was a very goodfriend of mine… this is a very unfortunate thing to have happen. R. I. P Lucie, you will be missed.

kayo November 14, 2012 (5:06 pm)

My heart goes out to the victims and their family and friends.

Gracie November 15, 2012 (12:19 pm)

Street Racing is illegal i think and this means someone else just very coldly left after the car crash!!! WOW i am very upset in my heart from the loss of these 2 kids and i hope the other kids recover well.

Neighbor November 15, 2012 (1:25 pm)

This is a heartbreaking story. Living on the street where this happened I have seen the friends and family greaving at the site first hand. Street racing is big problem on this street and although this is the first fatality, I have seen two other single car accidents at the same stretch of road that were the result of high speed reckless driving. There is a public safety issue caused by a lack of police presence at the Seattle city boarder and unincorporated areas. So sad, and I hope I never see body bags taking people away here again.

Margaret November 15, 2012 (6:41 pm)

I’d like to remind all the parents who let their teens drive, that there are restrictions on this privilege as listed in the WA ST drivers info:”For the first 6 months cannot carry passengers younger
than 20 (other than immediate family).
For the second 6 months cannot carry more than 3
passengers younger than 20 (other than immediate family”
The parents &; teens need to review these rules to keep the kids safe.
God Bless