RICE LAKE, Wis. (KARE) – Earlier this week a 14-year-old girl died following a rollover crash near Cameron, Wisconsin on Monday night.
Thursday morning, the Barron County Sheriff’s Department said that another girl, a 15-year-old, died at Regions Hospital late on Wednesday night.
The 15-year-old who died Wednesday has been identified by relatives as 15-year-old Winter Brouillard.
Family and friends identified the 14-year-old as Evah Garcia.
“Evah was so loving, and she loved everybody. And she just wanted everybody to have a friend,” family friend Sam Watry said. “It’s just a nightmare that you hope you can wake up from, but you can’t.”
Separate fundraisers have been created on Facebook for the families of both Evah and Winter.
One other 14-year-old girl is still in the hospital as of Thursday morning. Her current condition is unknown, but as of Wednesday afternoon she was at Marshfield in stable condition being treated for a serious arm injury.
The crash happened just after 7 p.m. on Monday, according to officials. Multiple departments responded to the accident, including Barron County Sheriff’s Department, Cameron police and fire departments, Wisconsin State Patrol and two Life Link helicopters.
Officials said that a 16-year-old boy was driving at a high rate of speed when he lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll several times. Two 14-year-olds and one 15-year-old girl were injured, and all three were taken to the hospital.
The 16-year-old driver had minor injuries from the crash, and officials said he was treated on the scene. The Barron County Sheriff’s Office said the teenage driver was taken into custody Monday on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance and causing injury, although that is now expected to be upgraded to two counts of “causing death.”
He was being held in the Eau Claire Secure Detention Facility.
“It’s tragic. It’s unexplainable,” Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said in an interview with KARE 11. “It’s hard to explain to kids.”
With the 16-year-old suspect awaiting a hearing, Fitzgerald said it’s a chance to raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence.
“Really just talking to your kids about alcohol and drugs. This is a real-life situation, and choices that kids make have consequences,” Fitzgerald said. “We will use this as an example for other kids to stop this. I know that’s what the two parents want who have lost their loved ones. They want something good to come out of it.”
At the crash scene in rural Cameron, friends continued to drop by with flowers and other items on Thursday. Andrew Clements came with his son, Jenson, who went to Rice Lake High School with the two teens killed.
“Just puts goosebumps throughout the whole body. Just like, wow. This actually happened?” Andrew Clements said. “Parents won’t be able to see their daughters graduate, [or] walk them down the aisles for their wedding – it’s all taken away, sadly.”
In a message to families and staff, Rice Lake School District Administrator Randy Drost confirmed that all of the teenagers involved in the crash were current or former students.
The school said the 14-year-old girl that was killed was a current student at Rice Lake High School.
“This is a truly devastating time for our entire community. Please know that pupil services staff members are available to meet with students and staff now and in the coming days. Please do not hesitate to reach out if your child needs assistance dealing with this terrible situation. You may set up an appointment with a pupil services staff member by calling the school office where your child attends,” Drost said in the message.
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