Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Police and fire personnel after a fatal crash at the former middle school building at Lincoln High School this afternoon, on Old River Road in Lincoln. Journal photo / John Freidah

LINCOLN -- A car crashed into Lincoln High School today and, after it hit the building, there was a fire and the driver was killed, according to Lincoln Police Chief Brian Sullivan.

The police would not identify the victim other than to say that it was not a student.

The car was registered to Jay Paul, of Cumberland.

A list of school employees in 2006 provided by the town of Lincoln lists a Jay Paul as a substitute teacher.

Parents and students in the parking lot this afternoon also said the victim was Jay Paul.

Lynn Pitochelli, who said she witnessed the crash, said she was waiting in her car at the entrance to the school to pick up her son when she saw a blue Ford station wagon speed toward what is the old middle school entrance.

"I thought, What kid is speeding in this parking lot?" she said.

The car went straight into the old middle school doors, Pitochelli said.

A Journal reporter at the scene said the entrance to the former middle school building is charred.

Pitochelli ran 20 feet to the car and, she said, half the car was inside the school doors and the other half outside.

Parents at the scene confirmed that students had been dismissed by the time the incident occurred.

Pitochelli said it happened around 2:45 p.m. and that school had been dismissed about an hour earlier. School officials said no students were injured today.

The schools superintendent, Georgia Fortunato, who spoke at the scene this afternoon along with the police chief, said all school activities at the school are canceled this weekend.

The police may hold a news conference tomorrow.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

 Tags  car crash Lincoln

Comments

Karen Anne said:

Does it occur to the Journal that the police do not release names until the family can be notified, so they don't stumble across it on the news?

Link | October 4, 2008 2:24 AM
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