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WCN

Deadly traffic accident claims the lives of Westminster student's parents

By Staffers & Associated Press

Published: Friday, May 11, 2012

Updated: Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Emergency lights

BULGER, Pa.-  Members of the Westminster College community are reaching out to a student and her family after a terrible traffic accident this morning in Washington.  The accident claimed the lives of the student's mother and father while sending her brother to the hospital.

Police say 60-year old John Alouise and his wife, 51-year old Debra, died in a head-on crash Friday morning in Smith Township.  Their son, Scott, was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital for unknown injuries.

The family was traveling to Lawrence County to pick up their daughter, Marah Alouise. She had just wrapped up her final exams at Westminster College where she is a junior studying education.

Police in Washington County say the Alouise family minivan was struck by a Ford Mustang driven by a high school student who also died in the crash.  They identified him as 18-year-old Aaron Herriott of Smith. Herriott was apparently late for school when his car hit the Alouise's van. Police say the car was going at least 70 mph in a 40 mph zone.

Burgettstown Area High School Superintendent Deborah Jackson says Herriott had planned to attend the senior prom Friday evening.

Meanwhile, Westminster staffers, students, faculty and administrators have reached out with support and prayers trying to help the Alouise family in the wake of this tragedy.

Comments

2 comments
WCN 24/7 Management & Student Staff
Mon May 14 2012 18:20
We appreciate your concern and ask that you consider the difficult position we navigate in covering stories that hit close to home. We cannot ignore the story. We cannot wait to cover it next week or next fall. We acted respectfully attempting to balance the interest of all stakeholders. Our hearts are heavy for Alouise family. Unfortunately this family, through no circumstance of their own has been thrust into the public light. Our coverage came well after authorities notified all next of kin. The police released the identities of the victims to the news media on Friday morning. The story ran repeated online and on the air for nearly a day before we posted our coverage. We were extremely sensitive to the fact this story involved a Westminster student. We opted to delay our coverage until the end of the news cycle in order to allow members of our community to reach out in support and in prayers.

We were never trying to be first with the story. What we were obligated to do is cover it honestly and accurately. The small story we offered does not reflect the ethical discussions and considerations we deliberate behind the scenes. We waited to post the story until well after it had been reported by the Pittsburgh news media throughout the day (online and on the air). WCN also waited well after the Pennsylvania Associated Press pick it up it as a sign of respect for the family.

We worked deliberately to balance our obligation to covering the news with our membership in the campus community. Whatever we decide to do, we understand we will have critics. We genuinely work to balance the professional responsibilities and mandates of journalism with our membership on the Westminster community and unique considerations for each story. We also want you to know the Alouise family is in our thoughts and prayers.

The Infamous Spongee
Sat May 12 2012 11:27
This story should be removed or at least this student's name should be edited out. It's a violation of a student's right to privacy and it's completely disrespectful. The campus may already know of this tragedy, but the entire internet doesn't need to know the full. Give this student and her family time to privately mourn their loss. Poor move WCN24/7. Not classy. At all.
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