Two-car accident occurs in student parking lot

Four students were involved in a two-car accident that occurred in the student parking lot before second period exams yesterday, June 9. All four students were released from Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring last night, according to PTSA president Fran Rothstein.

Around 9:05 a.m. yesterday, juniors Gillian Couchman and Elena Ramsey were exiting the student parking lot and hit a car entering the lot, causing the entering car to spin, go airborne, flip and land upside-down, halfway in the bushes lining the exit to University Boulevard, according to administrator Linda Wanner.

Couchman, who was driving, said she did not look around the curve, and said she misjudged the speed of the other car. "It was my fault, because I didn't stop well enough," Couchman said. She and Ramsey left school early because they did not have second period exams.

Junior Farley Germain, who was playing on the adjacent softball field, ran over to help the students after the accident and turned off the engine of one of the cars.

The other driver, junior Fridayla Pal, left the accident with a swollen knee and multiple cuts on her hand. Pal's passenger, junior Michael Reives, reported having a stiff back. Couchman had a badly swollen right arm above her elbow and received some skin abrasions from the airbag. Ramsey has reported no injuries.

Accident Location

Photo: The accident occured by the student parking lot at the exit to University Boulevard. Click here to enlarge.

The accident occured by the student parking lot at the exit to University Boulevard. Click here to enlarge. Photo courtesy of Ekta Taneja.

The students were transported to Holy Cross Hospital, where their minor injuries were treated and Reives received an x-ray of his back. All four students left the hospital the same day. The students were exempted from their third and fourth period exams. Pal, Ramsey and Reives were unavailable for comment.

According to Wanner, the students were lucky, and, at least two of them, Pal and Reives, were wearing their seatbelts. "They're lucky the way the car hit," she said. "Not only did they hit the grass, but [the car] was lifted off the ground by the curb."

Wanner does not know if the students will return for the rest of their exams or if the students will be punished for leaving school grounds before 11:55 a.m.

An announcement was made at 7:25 a.m. today, June 10, alerting Blair students of the accident and warning them to drive safely. The announcement also told students not to leave school grounds before dismissal after the second examination period. NBC 4 covered the accident from its Chopper 4 camera and reported that one student was injured during their news broadcast.