Orange County community rallies around families after crash kills former OCHS student, injures five

ORANGE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - The Orange County community is coming together after a head-on crash killed a former Orange County High School student and seriously injured five others, including four current OCHS students.

Less than 24 hours after the crash, the school day began differently for hundreds of students and community members Friday morning, August 7. Instead of starting in a classroom, they gathered around the flagpole at Orange County High School, joining hands in prayer.

“There are some hurting families right now,” Orange Baptist Church Pastor Alan Miller said. “And I want them to know that they’re not alone. That there is a whole community rallying around them.”

Virginia State Police said the crash happened around 3:07 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, on Route 20 near Rows Mill Road. A 2016 Volkswagen Jetta traveling north crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a 2016 Ford F-150.

The driver of the Jetta died at the scene. Orange County Public Schools later confirmed the driver was a former OCHS student and that all four passengers in the Jetta were current students at the high school. The driver of the F-150 was also seriously injured.

29News learned several of those injured were airlifted to area trauma centers after multiple people had to be extricated from the vehicles.

Miller, whose two children attend OCHS and who also serves as an assistant lacrosse coach at the high school, was among those who gathered to pray Friday morning.

“I was there this morning at the high school,” Miller said. “And I took my kids to school and stopped with them at the flagpole to join hands with hundreds of people from the community and pray.”

Miller said the students themselves led the prayer.

“It was a beautiful time of the community wrapping its arms around each other, grieving students who know folks involved in the crash,” Miller said.

Orange County Public Schools said counselors and support staff are available to help students and staff in the difficult days ahead. The division said it is offering its “full support, care, and love” to the injured students, their families and everyone affected by the crash.

Miller said he wants those families to know they do not have to face what comes next alone.

“All who were affected by this terrible accident, they don’t need to be alone,” Miller said. “They’re not alone. There are people who want to support them and love them during this, probably the worst day of any of their lives.”

Virginia State Police said the crash remains under investigation.

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