OMAHA – The Omaha Police Department is investigating a crash that killed a 16-year-old girl on Monday.
Police were dispatched to the scene at 176th Ave. and Q St., near Millard West High School, just before 7:30 p.m. Monday.
According to the report, officers arrived at the scene and discovered that the crash involved a 2006 Ford F350 and a 2017 Subaru Outback.
Emergency crews transported the drivers of both vehicles to the hospital. The driver of the Subaru, identified by OPD as Elise Cole, 16, was later pronounced dead.
Millard Public Schools confirmed to First Alert 6 that Cole was a sophomore at Millard West.
According to an initial OPD investigation, the Ford, driven by a 32-year-old man, was westbound on Q St. when it collided with Cole’s car, which was southbound on 176th Ave.
The investigation is ongoing, according to the report.
The next day, friends and classmates erected a memorial with her nickname, Ellie, adorned with flowers.
First Alert 6 spoke with one of her closest friends.
“She was the best friend I could have asked for,” said Miley Blue, a Millard West sophomore. “She was so funny, she was the ideal person. She possesses a beautiful soul. Every time she entered a room, she simply lit it up. Nobody ever disliked Ellie. She was just a really happy person.”
Dr. Greg Tiemann, principal of Millard West, issued the following statement in response to Cole’s passing:
Ellie was a kind, joyful person who gave so much of herself to others. As a member of the Principal’s Council and Show Choir, she was always eager to share her voice and make a difference. Ellie greeted everyone with a smile and had a special way of making people feel seen—whether it was saying hello in the hallway or helping new students feel at home at Millard West.