By NICK VLAHOS
For The Weekly Post
PRINCEVILLE – The Princeville community is mourning the death of a teenager last weekend in a single-vehicle accident.
Grace Abbott, 17, of Princeville was pronounced dead at 1:40 p.m. Dec. 28 following the accident near Parks School and Elliott roads south of Monica. Abbott was a senior at Princeville High School.
Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 3, from 3-7 p.m. at Haskell Funeral & Cremation Services in Princeville. Abbott’s funeral service will be Saturday, Jan. 4, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
In a statement issued Sunday, Princeville Superintendent Tony Shinall said Abbott had a bright future and was an integral part of the school community.
“Grace was a classmate, a co-worker, a friend, a sister and a daughter,” Shinall stated. “Whenever a community loses a young person far too soon, it is remarkable how that community rallies together and finds strength and support. This is already happening in Princeville.
“As we continue to grieve and heal, we will not forget the memory of Grace Abbott.”
Peoria County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Brimfield firefighters and BYE Ambulance responded to the accident about 1 p.m. Dec. 28. It appeared Abbott was driving west on Parks School Road when her vehicle left the pavement at the crest of a hill and struck a tree. She was alone in the vehicle.
Abbott sustained multiple blunt-force injuries and died instantly, according to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood. Toxicology is pending.
Harwood is a Princeville native. He did not know Abbott but knew her parents well, he told The Weekly Post. Abbott’s accident reminded Harwood of when one of his high school classmates, Sara Yager, was killed in a two-vehicle wreck in December 1991 on Princeville-Jubilee Road.
“I’ll never forget that day,” Harwood stated. “The loss of Grace reminded me of how difficult it is going to be for those students to move forward. It’s also going to be incredibly important for them to be supportive and loving and kind and caring to each other every day.
“It’s an extremely difficult and traumatic thing for those students to go through.”
Counselors for students and staff were to be available early this week at the high school. Princeville schools are on winter break until Tuesday, Jan. 7.
“We will continually assess the need for support, particularly as we near the start of the second semester at school,” Shinall stated.
A moment of silence for Abbott was held before the start of the Princeville Holiday Tournament title game between Brimfield and Princeville. The game began about six hours after Abbott was pronounced dead.
Postponed was a pregame ceremony to honor John Gross, the Princeville girls basketball coach. He coached his 900th career victory last week.
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