Local ministers provided grief counseling Monday morning to students at East Clinton High School and the middle school following the death of Haley Anderson, 16, of Sabina, who died Friday night of injuries she received earlier that day in a one-car crash. She was a member of the sophomore class.

Gary West, superintendent of the East Clinton School District, said ministers were at the school when students arrived Monday morning. “They were available to provide grief counseling if students just wanted to talk about the passing of Haley,” West said. “It impacted the students and staff today in coming back to school and facing various classroom situations where Haley was a part of on Friday and will be forever missed.”

West said the ministers were at the school until 10 or 10:30 a.m. Monday. “It’s very unfortunate that you have to deal with tragedies like this at any time in a young person’s life. I certainly feel remorse for her family and all of her friends.”

Anderson was in the right rear passenger seat when the crash occurred on Antioch Road, about a half mile off State Route 73, said Trooper Chad Smith from the Wilmington Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred when the driver of the vehicle, Shannon Watson, 16, of Sabina, who was northbound on Antioch Road, attempted to pass another car on a double yellow line, Smith said. When Watson swerved to miss an oncoming car, her vehicle struck a utility pole, Smith said.

Time of the crash was approximately 3:30 p.m., shortly after Watson and Anderson left school for the day.

Anderson, Watson and a front-seat passenger, Elaine Thompson, 77, also of Sabina, were transported by Care Flight helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.

Smith, who spoke to a nurse at Miami Valley Hospital Monday at 2 p.m., said Watson was treated for injuries and then released Friday night.

Thompson was listed in serious condition and is awaiting surgery, Smith said. She was the registered owner of the vehicle.

Drugs or alcohol are not suspected in the crash, Smith said.

The crash remains under investigation by the highway patrol. Smith said the crash reconstruction team laid the scene out again on Monday. “As far as a citation for the driver, it’s still up in the air,” Smith said. “We usually wait until the crash (investigation) is completed to speak to the prosecutor.”