Manassas Park Teen Dies in Crash in Irene's Wake

Correction: Katherine Morales' friend created a memorial Facebook page. An earlier version of this story stated someone else created the page.

A 15-year-old girl, Katherine Morales, from Manassas Park was killed Saturday in a car crash in Goldsboro, N.C., as her family headed home from vacation as Hurricane Irene struck the area. 

Byron Paredes, a cousin of Katherine's stepfather, Jorge Lopez, said Sunday the family was dealing with the shock of the loss. “We are doing OK, so far,” Paredes said. “We are just trying right now to gather the whole family together.”

Dr. Jose A. Chua, the family’s pastor, said Lopez called him about five mintues after the crash, which police said happened at about 4 p.m. Chua said Lopez told him he was driving when the driver of a sports utility vehicle ran a traffic light that was knocked out of service by Hurricane Irene. 

Lopez was not seriously injured, but at least one other person traveling in the vehicle remained in critical condition at a hospital in Goldsboro, the pastor said. That person was a friend of the family and was a musician in the Manassas church where Chua pastors.

Seven other people were traveling with Katherine on Saturday. The group was returning from a trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Katherine sang in the church choir, Chua added. “She was a sweet girl,” Chua said. The family has attended the church for about six years.

A friend created a memorial Facebook page for Katherine. Chua said the family had not made funeral arrangements early Sunday. The family had just recently moved from Manassas Park to Manassas, a family member said Sunday.

A candlelight vigil is planned for Katherine, known as “Momo” to friends, on Saturday, Sept. 3.

The vigil is organized by students at Manassas Park High School who played soccer with Katherine, who was a goalie on the school's junior varsity team. Her teammates said Katherine likely would have been on the varsity team when she returned to school in September.

The vigil is to be held from 8 to 11 p.m. at Cougar Stadium on Euclid Avenue.