A group of cyclists was hit by a car in Arkansas Tuesday, resulting in the death of a teenage girl from Milton, Massachusetts.
The accident occurred on Route 17 near McCrory, about 90 miles northeast of Little Rock Tuesday, resulting in the death of a teenager and injuring six others. Merrit Levitan an 18-year-old Massachusetts teen succumbed to her injuries Wednesday afternoon.
Arkansas State Police said that the group of bicyclists was passing through Arkansas as a part of a cross-country summer trip organized by Overland, a summer camps program based in Williamstown.
The group of 13 bicyclists started off its trip from Charleston, South Carolina, and was headed to Santa Monica, California.
Three of the seven injured cyclists were taken to hospitals in Memphis, Tennessee and Little Rock, Arkansas, via helicopter and the others who were not in a serious condition were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. Two people remain hospitalized but in a stable condition, Overland director Jonathan Igoe said on Thursday.
Overland founder and director Tom Costley and his wife, Liz, expressed their grief and extended their condolences to the family of Levitan. Costley said in a statement that the trip had been abandoned.
"At this point, we believe that this is what needs to be done to allow all involved time to process their thoughts and emotions while surrounded by loved ones," the company said in a statement, according to Mercury News. "We are working with families to make arrangements for students to return home."
The police are investigating the crash. So far no case has been filed against the 21-year-old car driver involved in the accident but it is likely that charges will be filed soon. According to prosecutor John Bell, no evidence of alcohol was found in the driver's blood and the police were further looking into whether the driver was distracted by a cell phone or something else.
