Austin, a 21-year-old sophomore, was a passenger in the single-vehicle crash on North Bickett Road near U.S. 42. She was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the car went off the road and struck a tree around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Three others who were in the 2016 Toyota Corolla, two Wilberforce students and one Central State University student, remain in critical condition at Miami Valley Hospital.
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Alexandria Austin’s mother, Nicole Hall, gave friends and family an update during a Facebook Live video on Tuesday.
Hall thanked everyone for the prayers and show of support. She said they arrived at Wilberforce Tuesday but they were not allowed to view Alexandria’s body. Today, the family will be able to view her body at the funeral home before they bring her back home.
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She asked everyone to “give us a day” and hold off on phone calls and text messages.
“It’s difficult. I’m not usually at a loss for words but for some reason I’m at a loss for words,” Hall said in the video. “I just need a day … Give me a day to process because this is … it’s God’s will. I’m accepting his will. I’m thankful for his will. But it still hurts.”
The Ohio State Highway Patrol Xenia Post continues to investigate the crash.
Xenia Post Commander Lt. Matt Schmenk said they have their top traffic crash reconstructionist on the task. He is working to get access to the car and retrieve the “black box.” He said the investigation is challenging because there are no witnesses and those who survived are not able to answer questions.
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“We’re working hard to figure out what was going on in the vehicle or what happened prior to the crash,” Schmenk said. “This is the final chapter in [Alexandria’s] life. We owe it to her family to determine what was going on.”
Fatal crashes are up significantly this year in Greene County, and the patrol has stepped up enforcement in an effort to curb dangerous driving and educate drivers.
This news organization is working to learn more about traffic crashes on Bickett Road and reviewing data provided by the patrol on enforcement efforts and crash incidents.
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