ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Heartbreak struck Creekside High School again after two students died in a car crash in Suwanee County.
Friends said the students were 18-year-old Jacob Llana and 16-year-old Aurelia St. Jean.
FHP troopers said the crash happened on I-10 after Llana hit a tree on Saturday morning.
It’s a difficult loss for Creekside High students, especially since they lost another fellow student in a crash four months ago.
As the sun set Monday night, students lit candles on the Rivertown Dock overlooking the St. Johns River as they remembered Llana and St. Jean.
Classmates say the students were well-liked.
“Today I had a conference because we’re doing online learning and my teacher started bawling her eyes out and it literally broke my heart so a lot of people at the school are really impacted," student Mia Marcia said.
An investigation by FHP showed the sedan the teens were driving west about 10:45 a.m. between I-95 and Live Oak drifted slightly into the grassy median. Investigators believe the driver over-corrected, resulting in the car traveling off of the road and hitting a tree.
Records show it is the third deadly crash involving St. Johns County teens in the past four months who weren’t wearing their seatbelts.
In December, an 18-year-old Creekside High School student, Jack Wheeler died after being ejected from a car. Troopers say the 16-year-old driver was charged with DUI.
In March, 18-year-old Rhett McCool died in a single-car crash in Palatka.
“I just hope it spreads awareness and people really get the feel of even how a minor choice can lead to big consequences," Marcia said.
Students said the crash was a wake-up call and a reminder that they should always be wearing their seatbelts.
The school is offering grief counseling services for students. Those interested and request to speak with a counselor here.