A horrendous crash on Interstate 75 early Thursday morning left two people dead, including a standout Lehigh Acres teenager.
Sixteen-year-old Jannelle F. Arvelaez and 48-year-old Alexander Brener, of Land O’ Lake, were killed when Brener’s tanker tractor trailer struck Arevelez’s van near exit 107 around 3 a.m. Thursday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Arvelaez, who was driving a Toyota van, was stopped in the outside southbound lane of the highway at mile marker 107, the Pine Ridge Road exit. Brener was also in the outside southbound lane approaching Arvelaez from behind. Brener rear-ended Arvelaez, causing his tanker to flip onto its side, according to the FHP.
The crash remains under investigation, and charges have not been determined.
News of the crash hit particularly hard at Lehigh Senior High School, where Arvelaez was heading into her junior year. Administrators and teachers described the young woman as a standout, both in and out of the classroom.
“I was shocked,” said Principal Jackie Corey. “It’s always shocking to lose a student, especially when it’s someone like Jannelle. It’s a big loss for the Lehigh Lightning family.”
Arvelaez had just completed her sophomore year. Administrators and teachers used “outgoing,” “very bright” and “special” to describe the teen. She was a first-rate student who was taking classes in the school’s AVID program, accelerated learning program and was also involved in several extracurricular activities, including the Key Club, the Junior ROTC and was a JV cheerleader.
Spanish teacher Irma Parajon said she met Arvelaez through the Key Club last school year. The two hit it off and became fast friends, she said.
“Everyone considered her my ‘mini-me’ because we were so alike,” Parajon said.
Arvelaez took Parajon’s Spanish I class, where she pushed herself to excel, despite already having a firm grasp of the language. The two also took part in Key Club activities together, where Parajon served as a faculty advisor.
Through the Key Club, Arvelaez developed a passion for helping children. She would volunteer to help children after school and relish every minute of it, Parajon said.