A South Lakes High School student was killed in a car crash on Sunday (November 3) in Oakton.

Carter Smith, a junior at the school, was one of five passengers in the car, which was travelling eastbound on Stuart Mill Road around 6:30 p.m. that day when the car ran off the right shoulder and hit a tree, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Five teenagers who were in the car at the time were taken to local hospitals. The driver remains in life-threatening condition. The SLHS student was pronounced dead at the hospital and the three other passengers were treated for injuries that are not life-threatening.

Police believe speed may have been a factor in the accident. Preliminarily, alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors that led to the crash.

With permission of Smith’s parents, SLHS Principal Kimberly Retzer released information about Smith.

On Monday (Nov. 4), Retzer wrote the following in a letter to the SLHS community:

Our sincere condolences are extended to family and friends of all involved, and to all members of our community who may be hearing of this terrible incident. I will maintain contact with the family and share about funeral services as that information becomes available.The unexpected death of a young person is very sad and difficult to process and can have an impact on anyone, whether they knew the person or not. South Lakes will provide counselors and clinical team members tomorrow, Tuesday, from 9:00AM to 12:00PM. Students should gather in the Lecture Hall. We will have additional supports on Wednesday as well when all students return.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact FCPD’s crash reconstruction unit at 703-280-0543.

No other information about the incident has been released.

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