Graduating senior killed, three students injured, in Newark Valley car crash

A student in the Newark Valley High School graduating class was killed in a car crash early Sunday morning, and three other students in the vehicle were transported to a trauma center. “The profound impact of this news has left our close-knit community in shock and grief-stricken,” said Newark Valley Central School superintendent Tim Calice in a statement.

A statement early Monday afternoon from the Tioga County Sheriff’s Office says deputies responded at 12:55am Sunday to a report of a serious motor vehicle crash on Bailey Hollow Road in the Town of Newark Valley, and determined that “the vehicle was found to have been traveling eastbound on Bailey Hollow Road when it left the roadway and struck a tree.”

The 17-year-old operator of the vehicle and three passengers were transported to Wilson Hospital, where 18-year-old Connor I. VanZile succumbed to his injuries, the Sheriff’s Office says.

NVCS community members were alerted by phone on Sunday night, followed by a statement from the superintendent.

Connor’s older sister Jadyn has launched GoFundMe and Meal Train campaigns to help the family through a difficult time.

“The Tioga County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Tioga County Sheriff’s Crash Investigation and Drone Units, Newark Valley Fire Department, Campville Fire Department, Owego EMS, Maine EMS and the New York State Police,” says the Sheriff’s Office. “The investigation into the crash is ongoing.”

Newark Valley High School’s graduation ceremony is scheduled for 10am Friday morning, June 28th. Families whose students need support this week can call the High School at 607-642-8351 or the NVCS district office at 607-642-3221.