Teen killed in crash

By SHAWN PIATEK
The Tribune-Democrat

March 29, 2009 12:08 am

— North Star School District is in mourning this weekend after one of its students was killed in an automobile accident in Laughlintown on Friday night.
John A. Blough, 15, of Hollsopple, a freshman at North Star High School, died as a result of an apparent three-car accident.
Ligonier Township police are investigating the accident. The department did not release details on Saturday, only issuing a statement that state police reconstructionists are examining a fatal vehicle accident on Route 30 in Laughlintown.
Joseph A. Bradley, principal at North Star High School, said it was his understanding that Blough was a passenger in the rear seat of a car that was stopped behind another vehicle at a traffic light. According to Bradley, the vehicle in which Blough was riding was struck from behind by a third vehicle.
The condition of the passengers in the other vehicles was not known.
A call to the Westmoreland County district attorney’s office seeking more details was not returned.
Bradley described the loss as a tragedy for the entire district.
He said that Blough, a football player and wrestler at the school, was a popular student with a bright future.
“He showed a lot of leadership potential,” Bradley said. “He was well liked by his peers in the ninth grade.
“He was a popular kid with just about everybody. He was friends with kids both younger and older and across all of the social circles.”
Bradley said the district activated its student assistance team on Saturday morning to deal with the tragedy. He said counselors from Somerset Mental Health will be at both the high school and middle school when students arrive on Monday to help Blough’s peers and friends to deal with the loss.
“You never have a course on how to deal with something like this,” Bradley said. “We try to put our teachers in a place where they can help the students with the grief they’re dealing with.”
The school district on Saturday postponed a parade to honor the accomplishments of its winter sports teams and celebrate the beginning of the spring sports season. No new date was announced.

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