WARREN, VT — A 16-year-old Harwood Union High School student from Waitsfield died Tuesday after injuries from a one-vehicle crash on Vermont Route 100 in Warren over the weekend. School leaders and Vermont State Police confirmed the death after first telling the community on Monday that the student, Vinny Viola, was in critical condition.
Viola was an 11th grader at Harwood Union and also attended Central Vermont Career Center in its electrical technology program. Family members gave school officials permission to release his name, and school leaders said they were heartbroken to share the news with students, staff and parents.
Police said the crash happened shortly before 1 p.m. Saturday and remains under investigation.
State police say the Volkswagen left the road and overturned near Charlie Ashley Road
Vermont State Police said Trooper Ryan Normile determined that Viola’s 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan went off the southbound side of Route 100 in Warren and continued for about 300 feet before overturning. On Tuesday, Normile confirmed the crash site was near Charlie Ashley Road.
Police said Viola was airlifted to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, after the crash. The vehicle was totaled. Investigators also reported that the weather was clear, the road was dry and Viola was wearing a seat belt.
Multiple local first responders helped at the scene, and Route 100 was closed for about two hours while police worked the crash.
Harwood and career center leaders moved quickly to support students and staff
School officials at Harwood Union and Central Vermont Career Center informed students and staff about the accident Monday morning. After Viola’s death was confirmed Tuesday, Superintendent Mike Leichliter and Principal Megan McDonough sent another message to the school community describing the loss as profound for his family, friends, classmates, teachers and the wider community.
The message again pointed students and staff to counselors and encouraged them to use those resources if they needed help. Leaders said additional support would also be available through community mental health agencies, including Washington County Mental Health Services.
They also told families to talk with their children about the tragedy and to recognize that grief can look different from person to person.
Teachers urged students to allow for shock, sadness and anger
In their Tuesday note, school leaders said students might feel shocked, sad, confused, angry, numb or unsure about what they were feeling. They told families and staff that there is no single correct response to a death and no special reason is needed for a student to ask for help.
The schools said they would continue their normal routines during the week, while recognizing that some students and staff would need extra time and support. Administrators said routines can be comforting during tragic times, even as the community makes room for grief.
School officials also asked parents and guardians to watch for signs that students may be struggling and to reach out if they need help.
School leaders asked the community to avoid rumors and speculation
Along with counseling information, the school message asked people to be careful with what they shared online. Leaders urged the community to respect Viola and his family by avoiding rumors and speculation, especially on social media.
They encouraged students, staff and parents to be gentle with one another and attentive to anyone who may be having a difficult time with the news. The message also quoted a student speaker from last year’s commencement who said kindness is the heartbeat of the community.
Officials said that, in the days ahead, that spirit should guide the response to the loss.
A funeral service is planned for Saturday in Waitsfield
School officials said plans are being made for a funeral service this Saturday, Sept. 26, at Our Lady of the Snows church in Waitsfield at 11 a.m. They said more details will be shared when they become available, along with ways to support the family.
The announcement came as the Harwood community also looked ahead to a solemn anniversary. On Oct. 8, 2016, five teenagers from Waterbury and the Mad River Valley died in a crash on Interstate 89 in Williston caused by a wrong-way driver.
That earlier tragedy remains part of the region’s memory, and school leaders said the current loss will be felt deeply across the community.