WEST WARWICK -- An 18-year-old male was killed in a hit-and-run accident early this morning while apparently visiting a make-shift memorial to a 14-year-old boy who died after driving a van into a utility pole at the site hours before.
Neither victim has been identified by local police, who said both were from West Warwick.
Police say they have no suspect or witnesses in the second crash, and are actively seeking any information about it or the driver.
In a press release today, police said that the first collision occurred at about 11:20 last night, when a Ford van operated by the boy struck the pole at 782 Main St.
He was alone in the van, police said.
The 14-year-old was brought to Kent Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. At about 4 a.m., the second crash occurred. Police responded to a report of "male down on the sidewalk" at the same location, according to the press release. On arriving, they found the 18-year-old with "life-threatening injuries" and evidence consistent with a hit-and-run collision. He had apparently been visiting a makeshift memorial to the the youth involved in the earlier accident. He was brought to Kent Hospital as well and pronounced dead. Police believe the driver in the second crash fled on Main Street toward the Hope section of Coventry. The vehicle probably sustained front-end damage, police added. Anyone with any information is asked to contact police headquarters at 401-821-4323 or the detective division at 401-827-9044. At midday, family members and friends of the 18-year-old were gathered at the site, marked by a T-shirt being signed by friends of the 14-year-old victim and a big, red fabric heart. They included a man who identified himself as the father of the second crash victim, who said he was from West Greenwich. As traffic passed on the busy road, near the site where the old Phenix mill burned in two years ago, he, too, asked those at the scene to help find those who might know more about the crash and the driver.
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