HEBRON, Ohio — The Lakewood High School community is mourning the loss of a 16-year-old student who was killed in a crash in Hebron Thursday evening.
Sophomore Megan Hart, 16, was heading home from softball practice when the crash on Refugee Road near Canyon Road happened. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said Hart was driving a 2003 Toyota Corolla eastbound when she drove off the left side of the road, struck a ditch and concrete abutment head on.
She was pronounced dead by medics at the scene.
Larry Kandel heard the crash from his home across the street, and said he has had concerns about Refugee Road being dangerous.
“You can see how deep the walls are on the ditch and certainly if a car comes off the road they are not gonna recover from it. They are going to roll over into the ditch, but guardrails do their job and I think if a guardrail had been there we maybe wouldn’t have the tragedy... I don’t know,” Kandel said.
Hart was a student-athlete who just transferred to Lakewood High School in Licking County from Liberty Christian.
She was just beginning her spring softball season, where she played the position of catcher.
The softball team posted a statement to X, saying that their hearts are breaking as they lost Hart far too soon.
"Please keep her parents Bill and Tiffany, her family, friends and the entire Lakewood community in your thoughts and prayers."
Softball coach Jon Griffith spent the morning grieving with the team.
“Megan was a joy to be around, [and] had just gotten her first varsity action on Monday in a scrimmage and then last night we did an inter-squad scrimmage and she ended up getting a nice hit off one of our better pitchers," Griffith said. "We are trying to take some solace in looking back at some of the fond memories in our short season so far."
The coach hopes to work with Megan’s family, the team and her old softball team at Liberty Christian to find ways to keep her memory alive on the field.
“She was a great kid to have in the program, her parents, my heart sinks for them. She was an only child," Griffith said. "We have been in contact with them today it has been a gut-wrenching day overall.
The school had grief counselors and a therapy dog available to students on Friday.
The Mayor of Hebron, Valerie Mockus, released a statement on Friday reading:
"Dear Hebron community, Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family, friends, and Lancers affected by the tragic loss of Lakewood High school student, Megan Hart. In this difficult time, let us come together as a community to support each other. Perhaps we should each take time this weekend to hug our family members and be kind to a neighbor who may be more impacted than we know."
Lakewood Athletics said, "Please keep this great family in your thoughts during this difficult time. We are going to miss you 19."
Around the same time as Hart’s crash, another Lakewood High School student was injured in a separate crash and taken to Grant Medical Center.
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