Students returned to school Monday after one of their classmates was hit and killed by an oncoming car in San Marcos just weeks from her graduation.
The Mission Hills High School student was walking on a sidewalk in the 500 block of E. Mission Road at about 11 a.m. Saturday when she was hit by a black BMW, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department said.
The teen was pronounced dead at the scene.
The student's identity has not been released officially, but many friends and classmates who flocked to the scene over the weekend and after school Monday with flowers and candles said the victim was senior Lauren Wolford.
[G] Mission Hills HS Senior Killed While Walking on Sidewalk
“There are many, many broken-hearted people at Mission Hills High School today,” said San Marcos Unified School District Superintendent Melissa Hunt.
“We will embrace our students as they come and help them get through all the emotion that will be confusing and frightening,” she said.
The crash happened just blocks away from the high school campus. A school resource officer was one of the first to show up to the scene.
Classmates told NBC 7 Wolford was walking from a nearby 7 Eleven to campus for dance practice.
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Principal Courtney Goode got a hold of the teachers over the weekend, she added.
"It still feels like this isn’t really happening," Senior Lauren Caldera said. "She should still be here – ready to go to prom, ready to graduate."
One of the notes left at the memorial near the crash site said that Wolford had just bought her prom dress and "Would have rocked it."
The mother of Amber DuBois stopped by the memorial site Monday and left a bouquet of flowers on behalf of her family and the family of Chelsea King.
Counselors were on campus Monday for students and staff members as they mourn this loss of life.
Sources tell NBC 7 the driver of the BMW is also a Mission Hills student.
Deputies said Saturday that there were other people in the car during the accident, but said Monday the driver was alone.
The cause of the collision is under investigation.
