Classmates Remember Girl, 13, Who Died In ATV Crash

The shock of the death of a 13-year-old girl was still settling in for people living in this rural, north central Ohio community on Tuesday.

Police said that Alana Reams was killed in an ATV crash on Sunday.

“It still hasn’t really hit me yet,” Reams’ friend, Taylor Lavan said. “It’s still sinking in.”

Counselors were on hand for Reams’ classmates at Mount Vernon Middle School on Tuesday, and her friends wore orange to school to honor their friend’s bright, fun personality, 10TV’s Chuck Strickler reported.

“I had a hard time coming to school today, knowing that she wasn’t going to be at cheerleading practice after school,” said Lavan, who said that she met Reams this past summer at cheerleading camp.

Friend Abigail Smith said that she agreed.

“It’s just hard for us all, our whole class, our whole school, middle school and high school, all of us,” Abigail Smith said.

Police said that Reams was riding as a passenger on a four-wheel ATV in the backyard of a home in the 200 block of Newark Road, when her 12-year-old friend lost control and struck a fence.

Detectives said that the vehicle overturned and landed on top of Reams.

Medics rushed Reams to the high school football field where she was transported by helicopter to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

“Just knowing she still had her whole life ahead of her; it’s just a freak accident,” Lavan said. “It wasn’t her fault, or the other girl’s fault. It just happened.”

Police said that neither of the girls on the ATV was wearing helmets. The girl who was driving the ATV was not seriously hurt.

No charges were expected to be filed, Strickler reported.

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