Spotsylvania sisters killed in fiery car crash; 2 other teens injured

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. - The family of two sisters who died in a tragic car crash over the weekend is mourning their deaths.

Dawn Donnelly, a junior at Riverbend High School, and her sister Alexyss Scott — a senior at the same school — have passed away, the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday.

Sheriff Roger L. Harris along with his staff issued a statement sending their deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, teachers, and students affected by Saturday's accident.

The crash happened on March 11 around 10:25 p.m. at the intersection of River Road and Musket Ridge Lane.

The sheriff's office said four teens inside a 2005 Honda Accord were traveling eastbound on River Road when their vehicle passed two other vehicles at a high speed.

The driver of the Accord lost control of the car, drove over a curve, and hit a tree — tossing the vehicle on its roof.

The Honda Accord then slid into an embankment, the sheriff's office reported, before it turned over once again onto its wheels and caught on fire.

When Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office deputies and other first responders arrived at the scene, they pulled all of the people out of the burning vehicle.

Donnelly and Scott were sitting in the back seat, the sheriff's office said. Donnelly was pronounced dead at the scene, and her sister was ejected from the vehicle. She was transported to Mary Washington Hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries and died.

The front seat passenger, a 17-year-old girl from South Carolina, was transported to Mary Washington Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The 18-year-old driver is also a student at Riverbend High School. He is currently listed in critical condition, according to Major Skebo.

The Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Department's Accident Reconstruction Team is currently investigating the crash. Major Skebo reported that all the passengers were wearing seatbelts.