A tragic accident during a police pursuit in upstate New York resulted in the deaths of two New Jersey teenagers over the weekend.
Christian A. Enrico, 17, and Liam C. Pakonis, 16, both from Wayne, were driving north on State Route 8 in the rural town of Guilford on Friday evening when a Chenango County sheriff’s deputy attempted a traffic stop. Enrico, the driver, continued driving and entered the small town of Butternuts, where he veered off the road and crashed into multiple trees.
The two best friends, who attended Wayne Hills High School, were pronounced dead at the scene. The reason for the attempted traffic stop has not been disclosed by the police.
Enrico’s family informed CBS New York that the boys were beginning their spring break. They were en route to a cabin located in upstate New York when the accident occurred on a wet, foggy road with a sharp turn. Aaron Hensz, Enrico’s brother, was supposed to meet Christian for a weekend of fishing and off-roading. Hensz shared that his brother called to say he would be late due to a missed turn, but he never arrived.
New York’s Attorney General’s Office is now investigating the incident. In response to the tragic event, the New Jersey school district that the teens attended is offering grief counseling through Wednesday.