A Connecticut teen was killed in a single-car car crash on Block Island Sunday and the young driver involved is facing DUI charges, state police in Rhode Island said.
The agency said Jackson Panus, 16, of Southport, was a passenger in the vehicle that crashed at around 12:30 p.m. and died from his injuries. A second male teenager was flown to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence with serious injuries.
The driver, who police didn't name because she's a minor, was charged with driving under the influence and driving to endanger, both resulting in death and serious bodily injury.
The agency says she's in custody at the Rhode Island Training School pending a Tuesday hearing in Family Court.
Panus was a junior at Fairfield Ludelowe High School in Fairfield who was on the football and lacrosse teams, according to Greg Hatzis, the school’s headmaster. He also attended Bridgeport Regional Vocational Aquaculture School for part of his school day.
Hatzis, in a statement, said Panus was a “good student, a good friend to many, and a good teammate.” He also said five Ludlowe students were in the car at the time of the crash.
