FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The Fayetteville community is in mourning after a devastating car crash claimed the lives of three E.E. Smith High School students and left another critically injured on Wednesday evening, October 8, 2025.
According to the Fayetteville Police Department, the fatal crash occurred around 7:22 p.m. in the 2700 block of Rosehill Road. Investigators say the vehicle carrying the four teens veered off the roadway, struck a telephone pole, and went down an embankment before coming to rest against a tree.
Three students Jaihyon Elliot (#21), Trevor Merritt (#11), and Nick Williams (#4) were pronounced dead at the scene. A fourth student was airlifted to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and remains in critical condition.
All three victims were members of the E.E. Smith High School football team, described by coaches as hardworking, kind, and full of promise. Their sudden loss has left classmates, teachers, and teammates heartbroken.
In a statement, Cumberland County Schools confirmed that grief counselors will be available on campus to help students and staff cope with the tragedy. The school’s scheduled Friday night football game against South View High School has been postponed out of respect for the victims.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by authorities.