Kent Police are still investigating the early morning accident that killed a Kent-Meridian student this weekend, but early indications are that speed and and driver inexperience played a role in the crash.
Dorian Tursic, 18, was killed and three passengers were injured when the 2004 Chevrolet Impala Tursic was driving hit a tree on the 23800 block of 64th Avenue South.
The accident occurred at approximately 3:58 a.m. Jan. 3. Tursic was pronounced dead at the scene and the other passengers were transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
The other passengers have been identified as Malaika Henry, 14, Jordan Bell, 17, and Molly Kirk, 14. As of Thursday, Henry had been released from the hospital, Kirk was in satisfactory condition and Bell was listed is serious condition in the hospital’s intensive care unit. Details of their injuries have not been released.
According to Lt. Lisa Price of the Kent Police Department, Tursic was driving south on 64th Avenue when his car struck the tree. Though investigators do not yet know exactly how fast Tursic was going, indications at the scene are that speed was definitely a factor.
Price said Tursic’s car sustained “significant damage” in the crash, but that Tursic was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident and was not ejected from the vehicle.
It is not yet known if alcohol played a part in the accident as police are waiting for the results of a toxicology screening, which could take four weeks.
Price also said Tursic had purchased the car in November and his unfamiliarity with the vehicle could have played a role, as could the darkness and his lack of experience behind the wheel, but there is no indication at this time of any single thing that caused the accident.
Police are still investigating the accident.
Price reminded drivers to be safe, obey speed laws, wear their seat belts and keep distractions to a minimum.
“This is a tragedy that could have been averted by several different changes in behavior,” she said.
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