A fatal Lincoln County teen car accident

It happened early Thursday morning around 1:30 am on June 21, 2007, in Lincoln County, MO. The details are still being sorted out, but inside the borrowed car were 2 17 year old girls. State Troopers say alcohol played a factor for both girls. Ashley (probably the driver) was talking on her cell phone to her boyfriend and going too fast. They lost control of the vehicle which rolled and ejected both girls from the car because they were both unrestrained. Cailyn Callahan died at the scene. She is the daughter of my cousin Kathy.


Ashley is expected to be released from the hospital. Her driver's license had been suspended. Cailyn didn't even have a driver's license and according to one of her sisters, had no knowledge or ability to drive a car having a stick shift transmission.

Cailyn was a straight 'A' student at Ace High School in the Hazelwood school district. She was loved and will be missed. Please use this story as an example of how easily bad things can happen, especially when you mix in inexperience, distractions like cell phones and illegal alcohol consumption with driving without the legal right to. Ashley is fortunate to be alive, to be able to recover. Not everyone is so fortunate in these situations. I can only hope there is a lesson learned by many. Things like this keep happening - it's senseless and unnecessary.



Read more or watch the recorded interview for yourself.