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Driver in Crash That Killed Five Didn’t Have License

CHESTNUTHILL TOWNSHIP — The coroner said the driver responsible for a deadly crash in the Poconos didn’t have a drivers license. He said she was kil...

CHESTNUTHILL TOWNSHIP -- The coroner said the driver responsible for a deadly crash in the Poconos didn't have a drivers license. He said she was killed along with her three brothers and her daughter.

The memorial is growing at the intersection of Route 115 and North Rocky Mountain Drive near Effort.

There are flowers and teddy bears, reminders that four children were among the five people killed in a crash on Saturday.

Now we've learned from the coroner that driver, Destini Watson, didn't have a drivers license. She and her 11, 14, and 18-year-old brothers were killed, so was her 5-year-old daughter.

"I'm actually very happy I wasn't home. I would have heard it, I would have been the first one out there. I'm right on the block. I'm happy i didn't not see that," said neighbor Brittany Stephan.

She didn't see four vehicles wrecked, the one Watson was driving, severely mangled. Police say she lost control and caused the wreck.

Stephan is a mother of two. She's sickened about the crash that happened so close, but stunned hearing none of the children had seat belts on.

"I think the worst part is that they didn't have seat belts on and older ones did. I can't imagine, I have two kids and they are always buckled in properly, it's one of the most important things you can do," said Stephan.

Route 115 is two lanes going up the hill and one lane coming down. Police said Watson was coming down the hill, speeding and illegally passing.  People familiar with this stretch say that happens all the time.

"Speeding, constantly, people passing constantly coming down, definitely going south," Stephan said.

Leighton Eaves of Indian Mountain Lakes stopped by to see where the wreck happened. He passes through here all the time. He says since Route 115 was paved recently, people go even faster.

"I've seen it several times, they come right up on your bumper and then they go around on the shoulder and pass you," Eaves said.

He too is devastated hearing one family lost five people, in an instant.

"Oh man, this is terrible. I have kids. I have grandkids and that's terrible," Eaves said.

One passenger, a family friend, survived the wreck, she is in the hospital. The three drivers of the other vehicles were also hurt.

The coroner said the 18 year old killed was Xavier Jennings, but he hasn't released the names of the other three children killed.

He did say the crash left a couple in Chestnuthill Township with four children and one grandchild dead.

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