Three Strathroy-Caradoc females, of which two are full-time Fanshawe students and one student applicant, are in critical condition after their car collided with a dump truck on Hickory Drive near the 402 and Strathroy on Tuesday, September 9 during a break between their classes.

Fanshawe College Manager of Marketing and Communications, Emily Marcoccia, said according to the families each of the girls were improving, although still in care of area hospitals.

The sixty-five-year-old driver of the dump truck has been charged with careless driving.

All three 18-year-olds have started Fanshawe College this past fall and are enrolled in or in the process of applying to the Child and Youth program.

Dayna Deleemans, and passengers, Lanisse LeClair and Ashley Pereira, had to be freed from the vehicle, which took fire fighters an estimated one-hour.

Deleemans and front passenger LeClair are in critical condition.

Backseat passenger Pereira had to be air lifted to the hospital where she under went surgery due to life threatening injuries.

It has been reported that all three teens were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.

The driver of the dump truck sustained minor injuries.

In other unrelated, yet unfortunate news, the James N. Allan Fanshawe Campus in Simcoe have lost one of its most personable second-year Social Service Worker students Jesse Nathan Campbell.

According to Marcoccia, Campbell passed away due to medical reasons last week.

“Sadly, it is not uncommon to learn of the death of a student,” Marcoccia said. “ [The staff and students at James Allen Campus] are absolutely devastated to hear of Jesse's death.”