May 29, 2008 11:34 pm US/Eastern
Karns City High School Senior Dies In Crash
CHICORA (KDKA) ―
A high school student who was killed in a car crash only about a week before graduation is being remembered.
Friends, family and classmates are mourning the death of 18-year-old Alia Hackbarth of Chicora.
She died when an SUV hit her car at an intersection on Route 422 in Clearfield Township on Wednesday.
Butler State Police say both drivers in the crash were wearing seatbelts.
"We've known her I guess since she was in second grade - she was our granddaughter's best friend and she came to work basically to help me out," Larry Turner, owner of Perfect-A-Pooch Dog Training School, said.
The Karns City High School senior hoped to become a certified dog trainer and started working last fall as an apprentice at Turner's school.
He says she had a gift with animals.
"The girl was obviously born to take care of animals and it was her life," Turner said.
Hackbarth played drums in the school band and was described as friendly and likeable. She also wrote poetry.
"That girl was always smiling - that's how I'll remember her," Teresa Claypoole, a friend and co-worker of Hackbarth, said. "She had so much more to offer - just going to miss her terribly."
Hackbarth's funeral is set for Monday.
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