Kent State Student Killed in Crash
Student was reportedly on her way home to Cincinnati for spring break
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A Kent State University student was killed in a car crash near Columbus Tuesday.
Rachael Carlina Woodruff, 19, of Loveland, northeast of Cincinnati, died Tuesday after her car was struck by a van that crossed three lanes, the median and a rest-stop exit ramp on Interstate 71 Tuesday afternoon, according to the Delaware County Ohio Highway Patrol post.
Woodruff, a sophomore at Kent State, was an intervention specialist major in the Kent State College of Education, Health and Human Services at the Kent campus, according to the university.
The university is on spring break this week, and Woodruff was reportedly driving home for break when the crash happened.
Woodruff's Pontiac was struck by Joshua T. Morris, 32, of Streetsboro, who "became distracted by his cell phone and lost control of his vehicle," according to the highway patrol.
Morris, who was uninjured, was driving northbound in a 2006 Chevy cargo van owned by Dara Toy Company of Macedonia. The crash happened at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday near the 129-mile marker of I-71. Woodruff was pulling out of the southbound rest area when Morris struck her Pontiac.
Delaware paramedics took Woodruff to Grant Medical Center in Columbus, where she died shortly after the crash.
No charges have been filed against Morris and are pending review by the Delaware County Prosecutor's Office, according to the highway patrol.
Bob Springer
1:32 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Jesus. What a tragedy. This is just awful. Goddamned cell phones! My heart goes out to Rachel's family, friends and loved ones, including her classmates and instructors here at Kent State.
annonymous
1:34 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Bob Springer,
Sympathy is better conveyed without profanity.
Cecilia
1:47 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Such a horrible loss for the family; Kent and Loveland communities. Distracted driving is one of our most important current causes of accidents and fatalities on our roadways. All drivers need to be at our best at all times.
Bob Springer
2:49 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Anonymous: You are correct. My apology. And I should segregate my anger from my sympathy. Sorry.
Matt Fredmonsky
3:11 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
I think it's easy to understand Bob's frustration. No cell-phone conversation is worth a young life.
Bob Springer
3:21 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
On rethinking the matter, I am left believing that there can be no profanity too profane to express my deep anger and frustration over the annihilation of a promising young life as a result of another driver's becoming "distracted by his cell phone." I apologize for any language I use that offends another living person. I do not apologize for my complete sense of hopelessness. I trust Rachael forgives me my profanity.
C.S.
3:37 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Having know Rach has made this whole situation very hard when the reason for her death was a phone!! She was such a determined, hard working, free spirited girl. I am going to miss her very much. Maybe one day there will be a law about cell phones while driving because she was far too young to go, this is goodbye much too soon. Rest in peace to the hardest working goalie. <3
annonymous
4:19 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Losing such a promising life is certainly an occasion for the most profound frustration and anger. Expressions of that are understandable. My deepest sympathies go to those who knew her.
Kaitlin Paige Adkins
4:51 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
I woke up today and realized it wasn't a bad dream that I was having. I was talking to Glenn last night and started to laugh a little bit when I thought about the time last Summer that Glenn and I came over to yours and Chelsey's new apartment. You were so proud and showing us around. Then me, you, Glenn and Jordan went to Sarah's birthday party and we were so mad that they left us there while they went out to Akron. Lol I kept checking in on you that night. That night stands out in my mind, because we shared a lot with eachother and I got a better sense of who you were as a person. And just like Chelsey said, you came with us to that party knowing a couple of people and walked out with a slew of new friends. We had so many good times together and I'll always cherish those memories. Kent will never be the same without you. I'm happy I had the opportunity to meet you and call you my friend.