A family trip to visit friends in Loudonville, Ohio ended abruptly and in a ghastly manner on Ohio 603 on Saturday afternoon. Five people were killed when their car overturned and hit some trees, killing almost everyone instantly.

The car, a 1995 Chevrolet Lumina, was being driven by 21-year-old Brandon McNeal. Also in the car were 12-year-old Ashley Nichols, her mother, 38-year-old Colleen Dailey, her boyfriend 30-year-old Wyatt Cross and Brandon’s 23-year-old brother Terry. The car was reportedly on Ohio 603, when Brandon lost control of the car and it went off the road. The car overturned, and hit some trees, before bursting into flames. Nearby residents rushed to the aid of the family trapped inside, but could do nothing as little flares and explosions kept erupting. It’s believed that all five of them might have died instantly. It was just after 4 pm.

It’s hard to say what caused the crash but initial accounts seem to be that there was speed involved. Police are looking into the possibilities of the driver, Brandon, driving above the speed limit. It does seem like there was an element of speed involved. A car would have to be traveling really fast to overturn on losing control. It’s a fact that cars are difficult to control at high speeds. Reaction times are just too short to be able to safely maneuver the vehicle in a pinch. In this case, there could have been anything, an animal on the highway perhaps, that could have caused the driver to lose control.

It’s tragic that five lives have ended, and in such a horrible fashion. Many families have been shattered in this accident. Brandon and Terry’s mother will always grieve the loss of two children in the same second. Ashley Nichols, a bright and promising student at Malabar High School, is being mourned by classmates and teachers. There have been so many young lives that have been snuffed out instantly.

It’s too late for Brandon, but we hope this car accident will serve as a reminder about the dangers of speed. Burning rubber on asphalt can seem like a thrill, but all it takes is a split second for you to lose control. High impact speed crashes are often tragic. The impact is always greater at high speeds, as in this case when the car struck some trees strongly enough to burst into flames. The risk of serious injuries like spinal cord injuries is also greater.