NEWPORT, R.I. (WPRI) — Salve Regina University is mourning the loss of a student who was killed in a car crash in New Hampshire early Thanksgiving morning.
Drew Ceppetelli, 21, was rushed to the hospital after the car she was riding in rolled over in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, according to police.
Ceppetelli, of Barrington, New Hampshire, succumbed to her injuries a few hours after the crash.
Police said Ceppetelli was one of six people in the car, which was being driven by Tyler Troy, 22, of Norwood, New Hampshire.
Troy was driving down Route 1 and was approaching a traffic circle when he suddenly veered off the roadway and into a curbed divider, according to police. The vehicle then continued into the traffic circle and through grass median in the center.
Police said several passengers were thrown from the vehicle as it rolled over multiple times.
Nearby officers and witnesses rushed to tend to the victims until first responders arrived, according to police.
Police said Ceppetelli and three other passengers were transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital with serious injuries. Troy and the fifth passenger were brought to Wentworth-Douglass Hospital with injuries that aren’t life-threatening.
The traffic circle was closed for five hours as officers investigated the crash and emergency personnel removed Troy’s heavily damaged car.
Police believe excessive speed and impairment were factors in the crash, though the cause remains under investigation. It’s unclear whether Troy will be facing any charges.
Ceppetelli was a senior healthcare administration major and an outfielder for Salve Regina’s softball team.
Shauna Mulkerin, Salve Regina’s head softball coach, said in a statement the team is heartbroken by the loss.
“She was truly one of a kind and lit up every room she walked into,” Mulkerin said. “She was our backbone, an incredible leader, teammate and friend.”
“[Ceppetelli] will never know how much of an impact she had on every person that was lucky enough to be part of her life,” she continued. “We miss her deeply already but know she will still be with us this season.”
Salve Regina President Dr. Kelli Armstrong said counseling services will be made available for students, faculty and staff in the coming days.
Services for Ceppetelli have not yet been announced.
