A Culpeper High School student was killed shortly before 5:30 p.m. yesterday when she pulled out in front of a dump truck on U.S. 15, police said.
Alana Michelle Hester, a 17-year-old senior from Amissville, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to State Police Sgt. Les Tyler.
Hester, who had celebrated her 17th birthday just three weeks ago, was pulling out of Simms Drive (which leads to Pearl Sample and A. G. Richardson elementary schools) and turning north toward Culpeper, Tyler said.
The Ford F-650 dump truck, driven by 41-year-old William Nelson Hoyt, was southbound and struck Hester's 2006 four-door Toyota Corolla broadside on the passenger side, Tyler said.
Neither Hoyt nor a passenger in his truck was injured. Both were wearing seatbelts, as was Hester.
Trooper Sonny Riddle, who worked the accident, found no fault with the truck driver, and there were no charges, Tyler said.
Hester was the only occupant of the Corolla.
Culpeper County School Board Chairman George Dasher said that both Superintendent Bobbi Johnson and Director of Instruction Jim Allen would be on hand this morning at Culpeper High to provide student support and that counseling, if needed, would be available.
Donnie Johnston:
Email: djohnston@freelancestar.com