Teen Driver Was Streaming on Facebook Live During Crash That Killed Her, Passenger

A teen driver was streaming on Facebook Live when a tractor-trailer crashed into her car from behind, killing her and her passenger.

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Complex Original

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A teenageddriver in Pennsylvania was streaming on Facebook Live when a tractor-trailer crashed into the vehicle from behind, killing her and her passenger.

According to the Scranton Times-Tribune, 18-year-old West Scranton High School student Brooke Miranda Hughes was driving on Interstate 380 near Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania with her 19-year-old friend Chaniya Morrison-Toomey after midnight on Tuesday.

While driving, Hughes started streaming on Facebook Live. Morrison-Toomey is heard asking in the video, "Are you going live?"

Hughes wasn't able to answer.

You can see lights flash. You can hear tires screeching.

Then nothing. The screen goes black. 

Hughes' vehicle was hit from behind by a tractor-trailer. The two teenagers were declared dead at the scene. Because the crashed car was seriously burned, investigators weren't able to visually identify the teens. 

The truck's driver, Michael Jay Parks, was not hurt.

According to WNEP, Hughes' vehicle, a Suzuki Forenza, was riding on a spare tire doughnut, so they were driving slowly. Witnesses also say there were issues with the car's tail lights. Parks wasn't able to stop his tractor-trailer in time, crashing into the Forenza from behind. The Forenza then crashed into the guide rail and burst into flames.

The Facebook Live video has since been removed from Hughes' Facebook page, where it was viewed at least 7,000 times, but police will use the video in their investigation, according to the Associated Press. At this point, it's not clear if police will charge Parks with a crime or not.

GoFundMe pages have been set up for both Hughes and Morrison-Toomey to help pay for the funerals.

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