Community mourns Lodi High School senior killed in Clifton crash
A crisis response team is on hand at Lodi High School to counsel students.
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A senior at Lodi High School was killed in a crash early Sunday morning in Clifton, school district officials confirmed.
The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. at the intersection of Lakeview and Crooks avenues, according to a joint statement from Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi.
Police learned that a 2008 Honda Accord with four passengers collided with a 2011 Mazda CX-9 with one occupant. A 17-year-old, a senior at Lodi High School, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say the cause of the crash is still being investigated.
The Lodi School District sent a letter to families informing them about the student's death, expressing sympathy and asking the community to respect the privacy of the teen's family. School officials also said they will have professionals on hand to help students cope with the tragic loss.
"This loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school district, especially our students. We are prepared to address such reactions with assistance from our Lodi Public Schools District Crisis Response Team, composed of professionals trained to help our entire school community during difficult times such as this," officials said in the letter.
School leaders said Crisis Response Team members spoke with students who are struggling with the news of their classmate's death.
"At home, please be sensitive to any changes in your child's behavior," the letter read. "Over the next few days, encourage your child to express their feelings and then listen attentively."
The name of the student hasn't been released, and officials from the Lodi School District said the administration is "currently giving the family time and space" and may revisit a way to honor the senior at a later date.
