DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A 16-year-old killed in a car crash in DeKalb County early Tuesday morning was identified as a Lakeside High School student, marking the fifth student who has died in a car accident this school year.
The Lakeside High School principal, Dr. Susan M. Stoddard, identified the teenager as Guillermo Aguas-Bahena, a member of the class of 2025.
The wreck happened at the intersection of Northcrest Road and Chamblee-Tucker Road, where a single-car crash took place around 1:40 a.m. DeKalb County Police said Aguas-Bahena was dead when they arrived on the scene.
Another class of 2025 student was injured in the crash inside the same car, but Stoddard said he is expected to be released from the hospital.
"We understand the enormous impact the death of another student will have on our community," Stoddard said in a letter to parents. "We have shared the information with our staff and students. Resources and personnel for grief counseling are here to support anyone affected by this tragedy."
Back in September, three students at Lakeside High School were tragically killed in a wreck on Labor Day weekend after a pickup truck went over a raised ramp and fell onto the interstate collective distributor on GA-316 westbound at I-85.
Coral Lorenzo-Rosario, 17, and sisters Katie Gaitan Miranda and Ashley Gaitan, who were 17 and 16 years old, respectively, lost their lives.
Just last month, an 18-year-old died in an accident on Oak Grove Road near Kirkland Drive. The school withheld the student's name to respect the family's privacy.
"The Lakeside High School community is here to support all those affected by this tragedy in any way we can. Our priority is to respect each other's feelings and emotions ... Our hearts go out to Guillermo's family and friends during this most difficult time. We can only imagine the enormous pain and sorrow they are experiencing. Our goal is to support and uplift them in any possible way," Stoddard said.