High school senior killed in crash

Washington Twp. Police investigate the scene of a two vehicle crash at Pitman-Downer Rd. and Altair Dr. in Washington Twp. on April 14, 2012. The crash between a car and a pick up truck killed one person who had been ejected from the car. ( ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer )
Washington Twp. Police investigate the scene of a two vehicle crash at Pitman-Downer Rd. and Altair Dr. in Washington Twp. on April 14, 2012. The crash between a car and a pick up truck killed one person who had been ejected from the car. ( ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer )
By Miriam Hill, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: April 15, 2012

Nicole "Nikki" Kellenyi, a Washington Township High School senior bound for Rider University, died in a car crash late Saturday night.

Police said Kellenyi, 18, was in the back seat of a 1998 Saturn driven by Alexandria Giantonnio, also 18, that collided with a Ford pickup truck in Washington Township, Gloucester County.

Patrick Curiale, who had been friends with Kellenyi since seventh-grade and said he had planned to go with her to the senior prom, called her "the nicest girl I have ever had the pleasure of knowing."

"Everybody loved her and will miss her," he said in an email. "She always worked hard and was determined to succeed. I'm going to miss her so much."

Police reported that Kellenyi and two friends, all from Sewell, were heading west on Altair Drive about 11:40 p.m. and entered the intersection at Pitman Downer Road to turn left.

The pickup, driven by Joann Finnegan, 48, of Sewell, N.J., was driving south on Pitman Downer Road, police said.

The two vehicles collided, sending both of them off the road.

Kellenyi, who had one sister and worked at Bruster's ice cream, according to Curiale.

Fire department officials had to extricate her from the car.

All three occupants - including Taylor Petner, 18, who was ejected from the front passenger's seat - were taken to Cooper Hospital Trauma Center.

Finnegan was taken to Kennedy Hospital Washington Township Division. Patrick Finnegan, a passenger in the Ford, was not injured, police said.

Police are investigating whether alcohol was involved, the Gloucester County Times reported.

The authorities asked that anyone who saw the accident contact Cpl. Preston Forchion of the Traffic Safety Unit at 856-589-6694.

On Facebook, Kellenyi's friends were circulating a petition asking that a traffic signal be placed at the intersection where the accident happened.

Contact staff writer Miriam Hill at 215-854-5520, hillmb@phillynews.com or @miriamhill on Twitter.

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