A weekend wreck claimed the life of yet another West Johnston High School student. Ariel Hughes, 17, was killed Saturday morning around 4:30 a.m. along White Oak Road in Garner when the car she was riding in ran off the road and crashed into a tree. The driver, 17-year-old Shantoya Howard, reportedly swerved to avoid hitting a deer. Hughes, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene.

Howard was transported to Wake Med with injuries. She was charged on Sunday with misdemeanor death by vehicle.

Hughes would have graduated with her classmates on June 11.

“Ariel was a very popular and vivacious young lady at West Johnston High School,” said principal Brookie Honeycutt. “Our students and staff are grieving the loss of such a wonderful person.”

Hughes was involved in the school Color Guard until this year, when she joined the Step Team. She loved to cook in her free time and had plans to attend culinary school after graduation.

“She was well loved and popular among her peers,” said Brandon Garland, assistant principal. “She cared deeply about her fellow classmates and was a positive role model, always bringing about peace as she brought out the best in others.”

Hughes was also very involved as a volunteer with the Johnston County Homeless Shelter.

Grief counselors were on hand at the school for students and staff this week. As of press time, funeral arrangements had not been made.

Hughes is the third West Johnston student to be killed this year. Fellow students Christopher Kosmos, 18, and Alissa Chenette, 16, died March 29 when their car hydroplaned and flipped into a creek. Over 30 high schoolers have been killed in car wrecks in Johnston County in the past five years, and nine have been killed on area roadways in the past two months.

Just last week, a teen safety steering committee made a presentation to the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. The committee provided recommendations on how the county and state can get involved in improving existing programs and roadways, as well as implementing new training methods and requirements for licensure.