INSIDE EDITION reports on the tragic story of two friends who were killed in a car crash when another driver was going the wrong way. Did that driver tweet she was “2 drunk 2 care” before the crash?
It's the nightmare every driver dreads: A car racing down the highway on the wrong side of the road.
Few incidents are as tragic as the case of these two best friends who died in a car wreck caused by a wrong-way driver. To make matters worse, the woman driver who once referred to herself as the "pothead princess" allegedly tweeted "2 drunk 2 care" just before the deadly collision.
The tragedy happened as 20-year-old Kaitlyn Ferrante and her 21-year-old BFF Marisa Catronio were driving on a highway outside of Boca Raton, Florida.
Hurtling in the opposite direction, coming the wrong way, was the self proclaimed pothead princess, 20-year-old Kayla Mendoza.
An individual who called 911 explained, "A white or silver four-door car just went by me going northbound in the southbound lanes at probably about a hundred miles an hour."
Before police could respond, disaster struck.
One caller reported, "There was just a head-on collision. It was bad."
Another exclaimed, "Terrible, terrible accident. One of the cars is going on fire right now. Please send someone right away."
Catronio died instantly in the head-on crash. Her best friend Ferrante died in the hospital.
Catronio’s grieving father, Gary, told INSIDE EDITION about the nightmare moment police officers notified the family what had happened to his daughter who had just turned 21.
He explained, "They showed us a picture and I looked at the picture and I said that's my daughter. And he said I regret to inform you-- I couldn't go any further"
The other victim's mother, Christine Ferrante, is also shattered by grief. There are photos of her daughter trying on bridal gowns before a friend's wedding, which take on a special poignancy even through Ferrante wasn’t the one getting married, she just wanted to see how i felt in a wedding dress.
Ferrante’s mother told INISDE EDITION, "A lot of moms and dads don't get the chance to see their daughters who have passed in a wedding dress. I got to see my daughter in a wedding dress."
Frank Asseste is one of the drivers who called 911 that night and even stopped to try to help. He got together with the families as he tried to offer them solace. “I don't know how to thank you for trying,” said Catrionio’s father.
Mendoza, the alleged wrong-way driver, was hospitalized but survived the crash. Cops said she had a blood-alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit. She once tweeted, "my car permanently smells like weed."
Now two best friends are dead. A grim reminder of what can happen when a driver goes the wrong way. Mendoza has not been charged but authorities are still investigating the tragedy that ended the lives of these two beautiful young women.
In memory of the victims, the families have set up Marisasway.org.
