Two sisters were killed in a car crash in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, on Saturday.
Dawn Donnelly, 16, and Alexyss Scott, 18, were both students at Riverbend High School.
They were riding in the backseat of a car that another student was driving Saturday night when the car crashed on River Road at Musket Lane in Spotsylvania, police said.
"Going too fast on a road that's very dangerous and they lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree," said AJ Scott, Alexyss and Dawn's father.
Authorities said speeding was a factor in the fatal crash.
Donnelly died at the scene of the crash. Alexyss Scott died a short time later at the hospital.
"Our middle daughter, they tried to save, and she didn't make it," AJ Scott said while fighting back tears.
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Medics flew the driver to a hospital in critical condition.
The front seat passenger, a teen from South Carolina, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.
Flowers and signs memorializing Alexyss and Dawn covered the ground at the crash scene Tuesday.
"I am so proud and thankful that I had even the 18 years and the 16 years with my girls, and the people that they were and what they contributed to our lives and the lives of so many others," said Asha Scott, the girls' mother.
"Our neighborhood came out last night and held a candlelight vigil for us so, Spotsylvania, thank you," AJ Scott said.
Spotsylvania County's public schools are on spring break this week but school officials said there will be extra counselors at Riverbend High School when students return.