12-year-old dies in head-on crash as family drives home from funeral, loved ones say
A 12-year-old girl died and two of her family members were critically hurt in a head-on crash as they drove home from a funeral, according to loved ones and Wisconsin authorities.
The Pepin County Sheriff’s Office said the two-vehicle crash happened Friday, Aug. 4. A Pontiac Grand Prix crossed the center line of the road, striking a Chevrolet Silverado head-on, according to a news release obtained by WRDN.
Four members of the Passon family were in the truck, which deputies found on fire when they arrived. Jocelynn Passon, the 12-year-old daughter of the truck’s driver, was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
Jocelynn’s father, 40-year-old Steven Passon, and brother, 8-year-old Drake Passon, were flown to hospitals with critical injuries, according to the sheriff’s office.
A GoFundMe says Drake has since been discharged and the father has “extensive leg injuries.”
The family, from Waseca, Minnesota, was traveling home from a funeral, a Pepin County deputy told The Free Press.
“The sudden loss of Jocelynn has left the family’s hearts shattered,” the GoFundMe says.
The driver of the Grand Prix, 18-year-old Ethan Whitwham, also died in the crash, according to the sheriff.
Waseca is about 70 miles south of Minneapolis.
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