On Thursday May 18, Central York High School held its first mock distracted driving crash since moving to the Mundis Mill site nearly 11 years ago. The crash involved various members of the senior class including Carter Luckenbaugh, Kaliann Ulerick, Ben Seebold, Colin Parks, Madi Dougherty, Danielle Diehl and Brooke Dubbs.
“We typically do something before prom every year. We’ve had the county coroner come in and do a speech. But what we [have been] looking for is something that isn’t just a powerpoint presentation saying ‘Hey this is the tragedy that occurs when you are distracted while driving,’” said High School Principal Ryan Caufman.
On the day of the ‘crash,’ the senior class shuffled out of the music wing’s doors and stood behind the yellow caution tape that had been placed across the band parking lot.
Two school buses were strategically placed to block the view of the wrecked cars from the students. Officer Wilbur from the Springettsbury Township Police Department gave an introductory speech once everyone was settled and provided narration throughout the scene, but restrained from providing excess detail so that students could watch the events unfold.
The head-on collision was revealed when the buses moved, with one car containing a drunk driver (Carter Luckenbaugh) and his passengers (Ben Seebold and Colin Parks) and the other car containing a driver (Kaliann Ulerick) and her passengers (Madi Dougherty, Danielle Diehl and Brooke Dubbs). Each car and its passengers sustained various degrees of injury.
Luckenbaugh walked away relatively unharmed, whereas Seebold, who had been in the passenger seat, was unconscious and lying on the hood of the car after flying through the windshield.
Luckenbaugh remained in character the entire time and said that roles had been assigned to each person. “Well, they needed someone who could take it seriously, be dramatic about it and then relay the best message to the audience. I was actually tearing up,” said Luckenbaugh.
Parks, the other passenger in Luckenbaugh’s car, walked away with minimal injuries as did Dubbs and Diehl, two of the passengers in Ulerick’s car.
After the reveal, a recording was played in which a witness of the crash ‘called’ 911 to report what had happened. Emergency responders arrived to the scene soon after the call, addressing medical needs and attempting to determine the cause of the crash.
The first responders arrived and in total there were two fire trucks, one ambulance and two police cars.
Parks, who was unharmed, was able to describe the events of the crash to Officer Scott Altland, a school resource officer. Upon inspection of the scene, the Fire Chief called the York County coroner, who pronounced Seebold dead and placed a white sheet over his body.
The fire department then had to use the “Jaws of Life” to get Dougherty and Ulerick out of the car. Both girls were taken out on gurneys, but Ulerick was pronounced dead after failed attempts at revival. Dougherty was taken to the hospital after first responders determind that she was in critical condition. While paramedics tended to Ulerick and Dougherty, Luckenbaugh was being examined by Officer Altland who could smell beer on him. Luckenbaugh then went through the entire arrest procedure, including field sobriety tests. Luckenbaugh was arrested on the charge of DUI and then taken to Memorial Hospital for a blood alcohol test.
When the scene concluded, Officer Altland and Caufman spoke to the senior class and following, they encouraged the senior class to sign pledges regarding DUI and no texting while driving.
Many teachers and staff seemed to hope that the senior class would take the crash seriously and understand the severity of distracted driving. “I truly hope the senior class understands how much this building cares about them. And cares about their wellbeing, safety and responsible choices. Teachers, administration, everybody gave them that opportunity as a demonstration of how much we do care, and caring doesn’t end just when the bell rings,” said organizer of the event, Erin Walker.
