Girl, 15, killed in Wareham crash

Was speeding, fleeing police in mother's car

A police investigator collected photographic evidence after yesterday early-morning crash in Wareham that killed Samantha Callow, 15. (David G. Curran for the Boston Globe)

WAREHAM - A 15-year-old girl who took her mother's car for a ride shortly after 3 a.m. yesterday was killed when she lost control of the car while speeding away from police.

Samantha Callow, a sophomore at Wareham High School, was thrown from the black Honda after it went airborne and flipped over. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are investigating how the teenager, who at 15 was not eligible for a driver's license, took her mother's car and where she was heading. She lived less than 3 miles from where the crash occurred.

She was not wearing a seatbelt, authorities said.

The news stunned her friends.

"No one believed it at first; everyone thought it was a lie," said Cassandra Couto, 14, a student at the high school. "Everyone was just surprised because this doesn't happen. It does - but no one thinks it's going to."

Police said an officer parked on Marion Road began following Callow's car after seeing it pass without its headlights on. The car turned right onto High Street, and Officer Bryan Whalen followed. By the time he turned onto High Street, the car was already some 1,000 feet down the road, traveling at a high rate of speed, said police Lieutenant Irving Wallace. He said the headlights were still off.

Wallace said that the officer activated his blue lights to stop the vehicle but that it continued at a high rate of speed down High Street. The officer followed. By the time he made it to a slight hill toward the end of High Street, he saw Callow's car having difficulty making a turn at Cedar Street. The car went airborne after apparently hitting a curb and boulders, struck a parked car in a driveway, and came to rest on its roof in front of a garage at 16 Cedar St., Wallace said.

He said the crash remains under investigation but occurred before a police chase had begun. Whalen initially believed the car was racing toward a hospital on High Street, he said. He said Whalen remains on duty and did not request any leave.

"It's tragic, but you have to deal with things like this," Wallace said. "We're trying to figure out what we can."

Skid marks were visible at the end of High Street, and the lawn of 16 Cedar St. was gouged. Flowers were left as a memorial at the scene.

Callow's parents said they wanted to make no comment yesterday.

Wallace said he did not believe the girl had permission to take the car.

The students at Wareham High School were notified of the crash in their homeroom class, said Patrick Clark, the principal. About 30 of some 900 students met with counselors, and 10 students were dismissed after hearing the news. Clark said yesterday that school officials were considering whether to have counselors available at the school through the weekend.

Clark called Callow a "real spunky kid with a big personality." She was the first to get involved in classmate disputes, because she wanted to resolve them, he said. Teachers told him that they predicted she would become a lawyer.

Callow recently met with an adviser to discuss colleges, Clark said. Clark has been at the school for two years, and Callow was one of the first students to introduce herself - a testament to her confidence, he said.

Clark said teachers first focused on consoling students. He added that they had a duty to remind students of the "importance of good decision-making and the fragility of life."

Ashley Longuemare, 17, a senior, lives across the street from the crash site and described the scene. She said she was shocked after learning that the victim was a fellow student. Callow sat next to her during lunch, she said.

"Everyone knew Samantha," said Couto. "She was a good girl and didn't deserve to die."

Milton Valencia can be reached at mvalencia@globe.com.