2 weeks Ago By People
A 16-year-old Omaha, Neb., student was killed in a vehicle collision near her school this week. Elise Cole was identified as the Millard West High School sophomore who died after the 2017 Subaru Outback she was driving was hit by an individual in a 2006 Ford F350 pickup truck just before 7:30 p.
m. Monday, April 21, KETV reported. According to the news station, the other driver was a 32-year-old man named Christopher Luke who was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.
Related: 18-Year-Old College Student Killed After Loose Truck Tire Smashes Through Windshield The fatal crash occurred at 176th and Q Street, the Omaha Police Department said in a press release. Medics took both drivers to Creighton University Medical Center – Bergan Mercy, where Cole was pronounced dead. Luke’s truck was traveling westbound on Q Street when it collided with Cole’s Subaru Outback that was southbound on 176th Avenue, police said, adding that the investigation remains ongoing.
"Ellie was a kind, joyful person who gave so much of herself to others. As a member of the Principal’s Council and Show Choir, she was always eager to share her voice and make a difference,” Millard West principal Dr. Greg Tiemann said in a statement, per KETV.
“Ellie greeted everyone with a smile and had a special way of making people feel seen — whether it was saying hello in the hallway or helping new students feel at home at Millard West," he continued. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Millard Public Schools also released a statement, adding, “This is an unimaginable loss for the Cole family, and our hearts are with them.
” “She was the best friend I could ask for,” said fellow sophomore Miley Blue, per WOWT . “She was so funny. She was a perfect person.
She has a beautiful soul. She just lit up a room every time she came in. No one ever disliked Ellie.
She was just a happy, happy person.” A crisis team employed by the district was on site to assist students and staff on Tuesday, April 22, as they coped with the loss. Read the original article on People.
