KITTY HAWK, N.C. - A Monday afternoon crash between a truck and pedestrians killed two Mechanicsville parents and injured one of their children.
Kitty Hawk Police investigators report 37-year-old Alan Nicolette and his wife Holly, 40, were walking with their two children and other family along NC-12 near Maynard Street when the driver of a truck hit the group.
The two parents were seriously hurt and later died. One child was hurt but only suffered minor injuries.
Police believe the truck driver fell asleep at the wheel or suffered a medical issue while driving. Charges are pending.
A day later, two wooden crosses have been placed along the road where the victims were hit. News 3 spoke to Chad Conners, who was working along the road who ran over to the three people once he saw they had been hit. Conners said the little boy was OK and jumped up after the accident, but the woman was in bad shape.
"She did have a heart beat but she seemed to be lifeless, so I bent down and prayed for her," said Conners.
Conners said he then ran to the man, who was lying about 15 feet away; the man seemed to be accompanied by his father, who is the child's grandfather.
"It was a guy - an older man - and I bent down, put my hand down and prayed for him. The older man was saying, 'Hang on, just hang on,' so I said, 'Sir, do you know this man?' and he said, 'That’s my son,'" said Conners as we walked us through what he remembers.
Eric Richards is working on another house nearby, and he placed the wooden crosses along the roadside on Tuesday once he and his co-workers learned the crash yesterday was now a double fatality.
"I think the people that were walking did everything they could - they weren’t walking in the road or anything, and I feel bad for the people that lost their family," said Richards.
A school in Hanover County sent out a statement identifying Holly Nicolette as one of their elementary school teachers:
Superintendent's statement:
“We are heartbroken to learn of the tragic death of Holly Nicolette and her husband. We extend our deepest sympathy to her family and loved ones for their devastating and unimaginable loss. We are grateful for her dedicated service to Hanover County Public Schools and the positive impact that she had on the lives of her students and colleagues. We will provide extra support to our students and staff as they return to school on Monday and begin dealing with this incredibly sad loss,” said Dr. Michael Gill, Superintendent of Schools.
Principal's message:
Dear South Anna Families, Faculty, and Staff,
I am writing to share heartbreaking news with you. Yesterday evening, I was informed of the sudden passing of one of our 5th-grade teachers, Mrs. Nicolette, and her husband who were involved in a tragic accident while on vacation in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. On behalf of the entire South Anna community, I want to extend our deepest sympathy to their family and loved ones for their unimaginable loss.
Mrs. Nicolette served as a 4th and 5th-grade teacher at South Anna for 13 years. During this time, she touched us all with her wonderful sense of humor, strong work ethic, and dedication. For those of you who knew her, we ask that you remember and celebrate her service to our school, commitment to children, and dedication to the teaching profession. For those of you who did not know Mrs. Nicolette, we ask that you support us with your understanding and patience as we navigate through this heartache.
As we mourn the loss of Mrs. Nicolette, your son or daughter may approach you with questions and experience a sense of loss. I want to assure you that our staff will be ready to meet the needs of our students beginning on Monday morning. Additional school counselors will also be on-site to provide direct assistance to students and staff who may need extra support. Additionally, I encourage you to have a conversation with your child about the loss of one of our teachers before returning to school on Monday. As parents, you know best how to approach discussing this sensitive issue and tragic loss with your child.
Again, on behalf of South Anna Elementary School, I want to extend our sincerest condolences to Holly and her husband’s children, family, and friends in this time of immense loss and sadness. As always, please feel free to contact me or any of our staff members with any specific needs that you or your son or daughter may have during this very difficult time.
News 3 has attempted to make contact with the family and friends who have expressed they do not wish to make a statement at this time. A GoFundMe page has been started to help support the family. It has raised more than $32,000 in less than a day of being established.
The Kitty Hawk Police Department released this statement to media outlets Tuesday afternoon:
