One fatality, multiple injuries in Winchester cheer team crash

One Warren County teen was killed and second was among those injured in the Sunday, January 20, crash of a Winchester-based cheerleading and gymnastics team headed for a competition in Delaware.

A Monday morning post on the Cheer Eruption All-Stars (CEA) Facebook site confirmed the death of one female team member and the hospitalization of female and male teammates in “critical but stable condition”, as well as the hospitalization of one parent.

“It is with a heavy heart I must share with all of our CEA family and friends such sad news. Yesterday CEA experienced a horrible tragedy. Several of our  and three of our parents were in a catastrophic car accident on the way to a competition in Delaware. Please pray for these families. Jenny and Chazden are in critical, but stable condition and remain in the hospital. Jenny’s mom, Kathy also remains in the hospital. Sweet Katana went to be with our Lord last night. Please keep these families in your prayers. I am holding each of them and all of our cheer family close in my heart and prayers.”

Condolences poured in from CEA’s extended family and cheer squads across the country. Opened in 2003 according to its Facebook page, Cheer Eruption All-Stars received myriad positive reviews from parents about its impact on their children as a cheer-gymnastics instructional and competitive organization.

A January 21, CEA Facebook post in memory of team member Katana

An initial Monday afternoon call to CEA’s Winchester headquarters was answered by a young receptionist who referenced a request for additional detail on the accident to CEA owner Anne Gorman. The CEA receptionist said the team as a whole had not yet returned from its competition trip to Delaware.

Royal Examiner received a call back a short time later from CEA spokesperson Brittany DuVall who confirmed that the accident occurred between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon on Interstate-95 in Maryland, near the Delaware border.

While DuVall could not confirm whether the accident was weather related as a winter storm dropping rain, freezing rain and snow plowed through the mid-Atlantic and Northeast over the weekend, she did verify information Royal Examiner received that a tractor trailer was involved. DuVall said she thought a third vehicle also may have been involved in the fatal accident.

The Maryland State Police Highway Division is investigating the accident. Royal Examiner was awaiting the MSP press release on the accident at publication of this story. Additional information will be published as available.

And while DuVall did not feel comfortable releasing last names of the involved juveniles, she confirmed the hospitalized parent’s name as Kathy Shenk. DuVall also confirmed information received from one local high school student who identified “Katana” as a Warren County High School sophomore; “Jenny” as a junior at Skyline High School; and Chazdan as a Handley High student.