16-Year-Old Was ‘Having Fun’ and ‘Making Memories’ on Holiday. She Died After Her ATV Collided with Pickup Truck
NEED TO KNOW
- A 16-year-old Australian girl is dead after the ATV she was riding on was struck by a pickup truck on a Tasmanian highway on Jan. 3
- The other passenger on the ATV, a 38-year-old man, also died
- The teen’s death follows the death of her brother, according to a loved one
A 16-year-old girl and a 38-year-old man are dead after the ATV they were riding on collided with a pickup truck in Tasmania.
On Saturday, Jan. 3, around 4:30 p.m. local time, officials responded to a crash on Murchison Highway between the towns of Rosebery and Zeehan on the west coast of the Australian island state, the Tasmania Police said in a news release.
A preliminary investigation revealed that a Mitsubishi Triton and a Honda ATV struck each other on the highway.
Despite medical aid given by tourists who stopped to help, a 16-year-old girl from the mainland and a 38-year-old man from Rosebery both died at the scene. The driver of the truck, a 40-year-old man, was not hurt and will be subject to drug and alcohol testing, which police say is standard procedure.
“Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of both the deceased,” police continued. “A report will be prepared for the coroner.”
An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, and the Tasmania Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Following the tragic incident, a family friend, Ella Mackrell, launched a GoFundMe to help bring the teen’s body home, as well as cover expenses related to travel, lodging and the funeral.
The 16-year-old girl, identified as Adasyn Wood Savin, hailed from Newcastle, New South Wales and was visiting Rosebury during the school holiday and riding in the ATV with a family friend, according to the donation page.
“She was having fun, spending time with friends, and making memories the way any 16-year-old should,” wrote Mackrell, who did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
“Tragically, while riding…Adasyn and one of our beloved friends, Whitt, were hit by a car and both of them passed away at the scene,” she continued.
“As Adasyn leaves us behind, we think about her parents, Amber and Adam, her brothers James Savin and Hayden Wood, and the rest of the family,” Mackrell continued, “who are now facing life without their beautiful sister, cousin, and friend.”
Mackrell went on to write that the Adasyn and her brother Cooper — who previously passed away — are now “together again, watching over their family from the stars.”
As of Wednesday, Jan. 7, the online donation page has raised over $17,000.
Read the original article on People
