Girl, 15, Driving SUV During Fatal Crash: DA

A 15-year-old girl from the Westchester, N.Y. area was driving the car that crashed Saturday and killed three Council Rock South students, the Wayne County District Attorney said in a statement.

Cullen Keffer, Shamus Digney and Ryan Lesher, all incoming sophomores at Council Rock South, were killed in the one-car accident in Paupack Township, Wayne County. Witnesses told investigators the car was speeding just before it crashed.

The driving age for New York residents is 16; driving privileges are restricted until age 18. The District Attorney told NBC10 she expected criminal charges to be filed under the state’s juvenile crime laws.

The Inquirer reported that the Chevrolet Suburban was registered to the teen’s father, who owned a home in the Wallenpaupack Lake Estates development.

Another female teen, also from the Westchester, N.Y area, accompanied the group to a local restaurant for breakfast. The crash happened on the way back, when the right tire left the roadway, causing the car to flip several times, according to information from the district attorney.

A fourth Council Rock South student was involved in the accident but was treated and released from the hospital.

Meanwhile, the families of the deceased have planned services.

The family of Shamus Digney will have visitations on Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until his funeral mass at 11 a.m. at St. Bede the Venerable Church, 1071 Holland Rd.

The family of Ryan Lesher will hold visitations on Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at St. John’s United Methodist Church, 820 Almshouse Rd. Ivyland. Services will be held Friday at 10:30 a.m. at St. John’s United Methodist Church.

Relatives and friends of Cullen Keffer are invited to greet the family Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, Inc., 800 Newtown-Richboro Rd. His services and interment will be private.

Evening activities have been cancelled at Council Rock South this week so students can attend the services. The Council Rock School Board meeting originally planned for Thursday has been rescheduled until Sept. 11.