Riley Ignacio-Cameron, 20, of Aquinnah was one of four students at Maine Maritime Academy killed in an early morning crash Saturday in Castine, Maine, the coastal town where the college is located.
According to a press release issued by Maine State Police, the crash occurred at 2:07 am on Shore Road (Route 166) in Castine. The preliminary investigation indicates that the driver of the 2013 Range Rover, 20-year-old Joshua Goncalves-Radding of North Babylon, N.Y., was traveling south on Rt. 166 when his vehicle left the road and struck a tree before erupting in flames, the release states.
Ignacio-Cameron, a 2020 graduate of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, was one of four cadets pronounced dead at the scene. The other students are 20-year-old Brian Kenealy of York, Maine, 21-year-old Chase Fossett of Gardiner, Maine, and 22-year-old Luke Simpson of Rockport.
Jeremy Light, an assistant principal at MVRHS, told The Times the school community is devastated by the tragedy. “I knew Riley during my time at the Charter School, as well as when I took a job at the high school. He was a really kind young man,” Light wrote. “We are all devastated by this news and his passing. We will make sure to have all of our adjustment counselors available for anyone that wants to come and speak or process the event. We know the class of 2020 will be coming home soon for the holidays, and we will be available should they need counseling for losing a classmate.”
Jerry Paul, president of Maine Maritime Academy, issued a statement on behalf of the school community: “Our community is grieving for these young lives and for their families. While we have lost beloved members of our student body, tonight there are four families who have lost their children. I ask for continued respect and privacy of our Maine Maritime family. Please hold these young people close to your hearts and in your prayers. We will of course continue to work with the authorities in the coming days, and continue to offer counseling support to our students, faculty, and staff.”
Three other occupants survived the crash with non-life-threatening injuries, including Noelle Tavares, 20, of North Falmouth, Joshua Goncalves-Radding, 20, of North Babylon, and Dominick Gecoya, 20, of Middleton.
All seven of the occupants in the vehicle were identified as students at Maine Maritime Academy, according to the release. The crash remains under investigation.
