Current Etowah Student and Former Graduate Both Killed in Crash on 285

An 18 year-old student of Etowah High School was killed Tuesday night along with her 22 year-old friend, in a one-car crash on I-285 East.

Shania Boettcher and her friend Darius Valcarcel, both from Woodstock died from injuries that resulted from the wreck.

Police say the accident happened around 8:30 PM Tuesday night when Boettcher and Valcarcel were headed to Stone Mountain to watch the laser show.  Apparently the driver of the Ford Explorer, traveling east, lost control of the vehicle and rolled it several times.  One person was ejected from the vehicle, and another partially ejected.  Boettcher and Valcarcel were both pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver and one other passenger were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

A vigil was held Wednesday night at the high school, where students, friends and family were gathered to mourn the loss of the two young lives.

Boettcher was a part of the 2014 graduating class of Etowah High School and was slated to graduate Friday.  Valcarcel was a 2010 graduate of Etowah.  One of the injured is also a senior at the high school.

Deputy Superintendent Brian Hightower said the school would follow the tradition of leaving a chair empty for Boettcher at the graduation ceremony, and her name will be listed in the program.  Her name will also be read aloud, along with her graduating classmates.

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