Valley High School mock crash intended to highlight consequences of 1 bad decision
Authorities were hoping to make an impact with Valley High School students about how one decision can change many lives — and even end them.
Juniors and seniors watched Friday morning as real police officers, firefighters, paramedics and the county coroner responded to a mock crash in the parking lot of their New Kensington school.
Their classmates, three 18-year-old seniors from New Kensington, portrayed the crash victims. Emily Deringer was the intoxicated driver of an SUV. Eden Richey was her friend and passenger who died in the crash with a car driven by Maddie Rushnock.
Lori Gigliotti, with the Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation office, portrayed Richey’s distraught mother.
Principal Patrick Nee said he hopes students will take the message of the simulation seriously and to heart.
“We want the students to think about, when they get into cars with friends or family or driving themselves, to be careful and to be attentive,” Nee said. “There can be consequences to actions.”
Students watched as Deringer was given field sobriety tests and then arrested for driving under the influence — and homicide by vehicle.
Made up with fake blood, Richey said Deringer asked her to participate.
“It’s a really good way of spreading the message,” Richey said.
Students also got to see firefighters dismantle the car to free Rushnock, who said she was nervous about it.
“I think overall it’s a good message people should take seriously,” she said.
The mock crash was the first the school has staged since November 2018. It was organized by school resource Officer Phil Huth. The vehicles were donated by Elias Auto Body in Arnold.
Whether a driver is drunk, high or distracted, Huth said, they wanted to get across how one decision could change three lives. The junior-senior prom is scheduled for next Friday, May 20.
“Our hope is that they’ll make the appropriate decisions,” Huth said.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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