By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Dowagiac Daily News
EDWARDSBURG - Tragedy struck the Edwardsburg community Tuesday as families began their morning routine.
A misjudgment on the part of a young driver took her own life and injured her passenger, two Edwardsburg High School 16-year-olds on their way to school.
Sophomore Ashley M. Qualls, 16, who was killed, was westbound on U.S. 12, attempting to pass a semi, also traveling west on U.S. 12.
A pickup truck, driven by Brian Donath, was eastbound on U.S. 12. Donath attempted to avoid being hit by the first vehicle, but the pickup was struck in the driver's side.
Donath and Samantha M. Schlutt, a passenger in the car driven by Qualls, were both taken to Elkhart, Ind., General Hospital.
Schlutt remained in serious but stable condition at press time.
Ontwa Township/Edwardsburg Police Department is still investigating the two-vehicle fatal accident that occurred at 6:49 a.m. April 26 on U.S. 12 at Eagle Lake Road.
Upon learning of the accident, Edwardsburg school administration immediately began preparing how to tell and comfort the students, putting their crisis team in place.
They waited for notification of the families before releasing the names of the girls.
The students were assembled that afternoon.