A deadly crash has hit a Kent County community hard after a recent graduate was killed this week.
Close friends gathered Tuesday night at a growing memorial at Forrest Hills Northern High School one day after Ethan Dutter's death.
The deadly crash happened Monday, June 20, just before 10 a.m. on W. State Road near Agaming Street in Rutland Township.
Investigators say the Ford Escape driven by Dutter was traveling north when it crossed the center lane and collided with a Dodge Ram driven by a 53-year-old from Lowell heading in the opposite direction.
Dutter was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver was taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries.
At the time of the crash, friends say Ethan was on his way to see his girlfriend, Julia with both a plan for the day and his life ahead.
"I lost a best friend, a boyfriend, someone that meant so much to me and so many other people," Julia said.
A GoFundMe has been set up by one of Ethan's teachers to help the family; it's a sign of the impact he left on those who knew him.
"He was such a caring and loving boy," said Rachael Rowden, a close family friend. "Everybody that met Ethan knew love and he just shined. Between his curly hair and his dimples, you would never forget his face. He was a sweetheart."
The crash is still under investigation, but deputies say they do not believe alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.
