Ciara Deprill, a 19-year-old Temple sophomore, was killed early Friday morning after the car she was riding in hit a concrete barrier on the Ben Franklin Bridge, police said.
The driver, Dreamah Knoll, 21, also a Temple student, will be charged with driving under the influence, homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter, police said after an investigation.
The two friends were traveling westbound on the Ben Franklin Bridge around 3 a.m. when Knoll’s Honda hit a concrete barrier head-on.
Deprill was ejected from the car and pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
Knoll was driving while intoxicated, police said. Knoll was transported to Jefferson University Hospital where she remains in critical condition.
On Sunday, people who knew Deprill posted condolences and memories of her on the Facebook, an online directory that connects college students through social networks nationwide.
One friend wrote, “God takes care of his children and he’s got you now Ciara. I’ll always remember you as the funniest, nicest and most beautiful person inside and out in the room. I’ll NEVER forget you, but always miss you! RIP.”
Another student, Joanna Plazas, who is listed as one of Deprill’s friends on the Facebook, started the group “R.I.P. Ciara, We Will Always Love U” in Deprill’s memory.
Some members of the group started a discussion about how a local CBS affiliate, CBS3, reported the accident. One member, in the discussion group started on the page, called the reports “all wrong,” and “ignorant,” and urged others to call the station in petition.
On Saturday, CBS3 reported that Knoll had written about drunk driving under her list of interests on her Facebook page: “… not getting really drunk anymore … I keep saying I won’t, but I really need to. Especially drunk driving.”
Those words, however, have since been deleted from Knoll’s profile page.
Tiffany Gallagher, a health educator at Temple Health Empowerment Office, said if a student feels they have a problem with alcohol, they should visit the Campus Alcohol and Substance Awareness Office, which is part of Tuttleman Counseling Services.
Ryan Diehl, Deprill’s resident assistant at Elmira Jeffries residence hall, said the university has provided counseling services for students who need it.
Diehl said Deprill was very popular with other students. She was active in the Elmira Jeffries Senate, the RA said.
“She was one of the nicest girls I ever met and so full of life,” Diehl said.
At the Temple Student Government General Assembly meeting Monday, Dean of Students Ainsley Carry said the accident was a sad moment for the administration.
“We consider ourselves to be family,” Carry said.
Brooke Isakoff, a sophomore BTMM major, said she often hears about students drinking and driving, and sees a lot of drinking in her dorm.
“It’s a shame because you hear about this kind of thing all the time,” Isakoff said. “It’s just horrible to know that drinking and driving can lead to this.”
Deprill is survived by her parents, Keith Speight and Candace Deprill, and her brothers, Anthony, Marc, Joshua, Keith Jr. and Noah.
Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 9, at Life Church, 1401 E. Cedar St., in Allentown, Pa. The viewing will take place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Emily Catalano and Charmie R. Snetter can be reached at TempleNews@GMail.com.
Staff writers Renita Burns and Tyson McCloud contributed to this report.
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