The untimely deaths of three Aggie women in a tragic car accident is the source of confusion, shock, and deep hurt throughout the campus this week.

 

On the night of Nov. 15, A&T students Tiffany Kittrell, Carla Marshall and Lynai Thorne crashed into a tree off of Highway U.S. 421 and were killed. The young women were all 19-year-old sophomores at A&T. Kittrell was from Alexandria, Va. Marshall and Thorne were from Raeford, N.C.

 

Kittrell, a criminal justice major, and Thorne lived in the Aggie Village. Marshall, lived in Riverwalk Apartments on Sullivan Street.

 

Marshall shared an apartment with two other A&T students. She lived at her residence since August, and that is when she met her roommates. Her roommates indicated that Kittrell and Thorne spent a great deal of time at their apartment.

 

“She had her friends over a lot; the two girls-Tiffany and Lynai,” said Mariko Carrington, a junior psychology major and Marshall’s roommate.

 

Marshall’s roommates commented on the three girls’ friendship and interaction with one another.

 

“They were very playful; they used to play music all of the time and come out here (the living room) and play cards. And cook in the kitchen and come over and do their laundry every week,” said Krystal Bailey, a junior psychology major and Marshall’s other roommate.

 

Carrington spoke about Marshall’s character and the way she perceived her during the time they lived together.

 

“She seemed like a very strong person and very confident with who she was as a person and with her friends and her friendships. She believed in friendships and loyalty,” Carrington said.

 

They discussed their initial reactions when they heard about the tragedy.

 

“It’s been very emotional for me ever since I heard about it because just living in the same house with someone and you’re used to seeing them all the time, you see their friends all the time. I’ve just been thinking about how young they were and how it was such a tragic accident. I’ve just been very shocked,” Carrington said. Bailey agreed.

 

Bailey and Carrington also had strong feelings about the accident and have said that it has had an effect on the way they drive.

 

“Just driving around in general, I’ve just been noticing people speeding and thinking about how dangerous it could be and how people don’t understand. It’s really made me take into consideration my mortality and how I need to obey speed limits and keep everyone safe in my car as much as I can,” Carrington said

 

Bailey echoed Carrington’s statements when she spoke about the effect the news of this tragedy has had on her.

 

“I know that speed was a factor in the accident and I am just more aware of the speed limit,” Bailey said.

 

Highway Patrol has yet to release an accident report.

 

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Nov. 20 in the Memorial Student Union Exhibit Hall. Students can post condolences on the girls’ Facebook walls or on A&T’s “Remembering Our Students” Web site at www.ncat.edu/memorial/nov_05.

 

• Michele Matthews