CMU student killed, 4 others injured in Florida crash

A sport utility vehicle carrying Carnegie Mellon University students bound for a Florida weekend getaway crashed this morning in Ormond Beach, leaving one dead and four others injured.

Jee Choi, 21, of Northvale, N.J., was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred just north of Daytona, Fla., authorities said.

Four other CMU students -- 21-year-old Kyla Graham of Honolulu, 20-year-old Christina Aliprando of New Jersey, 21-year-old Anya Rosen of Los Angeles and 21-year-old Valerie Corvino -- were being treated for injuries at Halifax Medical Center, according to Florida Highway Patrol. Ms. Corvino was in critical condition. Another passenger in the vehicle, Jeremy Philipson, 20, of New York, was not injured.

According to the Highway Patrol, the group had left Pittsburgh for Florida Thursday night, driving through the night to reach Miami. Ms. Graham was driving when the accident occurred. Witnesses said she was swerving on Interstate 95 when she overcorrected hard to the right, causing the car, a 1998 Land Rover, to flip multiple times at around 8:30 a.m. Mr. Choi and Ms. Corvino were both ejected from the SUV and Ms. Corvino was found pinned underneath the car, according to Sgt. Kim Montes, of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Sgt. Montes said police do not believe alcohol was involved, but charges may be pending in the case.

Mr. Choi was due to graduate from CMU with a degree in fine arts and industrial design in May, according to his website.

Moriah Balingit: mbalingit@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2533.

First published on March 25, 2011 at 7:14 pm