Laney High School Community Mourns Rising Senior After Fatal Crash

A community in North Carolina is grieving after a high school student lost his life in an early-morning single-vehicle crash. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol said the wreck happened at about 1:58 a.m. Thursday near Porters Neck Road and Market Street. Investigators believe the vehicle left the road, traveled into a ditch and struck several trees. No second vehicle was involved, and authorities reported no other injuries.

The first warning came from an automatic emergency notification sent by the teenager's cellphone. Deputies from the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office went to the area around the Porters Neck Road roundabout, but they could not initially find the crash. When the teenager did not arrive home, his mother tracked his phone and made a second call to 911. Deputies returned, widened the search and eventually discovered the damaged vehicle in a wooded area away from the roadway. Investigators said the teenager had been thrown from the vehicle during the collision.

The State Highway Patrol initially withheld the victim's identity. A faculty message from Laney High School Principal Danny Little, later obtained by local news outlets, identified him as Jacob Fernandez-Villa. He was a rising senior preparing to begin his final year of high school. New Hanover County Schools Superintendent Dr. Christopher Barnes separately confirmed that Fernandez-Villa attended Laney High School.

After the death became known, school officials arranged emotional support for students and employees affected by the loss. Laney High School announced that grief counselors would be at Jordan Gym on Friday. The gym was due to stay open from noon to 2 p.m., allowing visitors to talk privately with a counselor, sit in quiet reflection or gather with classmates, teachers and other staff members. School leaders urged anyone having difficulty coping to reach out instead of carrying the grief alone.

Investigators remained at the crash site for several hours while they recorded evidence and removal crews cleared the area. Nearby roads were temporarily closed, creating major delays that affected both the morning and afternoon commutes.

Authorities have not determined why the vehicle went off the roadway. The investigation is continuing, and state troopers have not disclosed whether any particular factor may have contributed to the fatal crash.