‘Remember Chaney’s beautiful smile’: Former Chapin lacrosse player dies after wreck
Chaney Partrich, a standout lacrosse player at Chapin High School, died Saturday following injuries suffered in a car accident more than a week ago involving seven University of Mount Olive students.
Six of the seven Mount Olive students were members of the women’s lacrosse team. Partrich, a sophomore at Mount Olive, was the fourth member of the school’s lacrosse team to die from the wreck that occurred in the early morning March 13.
Madison Mergl of Sayville, New York and Ann Wray of Oakland, New Jersey died at the scene. Jett Swetland of Sparta, Ohio died Monday. Alex Eubanks of Bowie, Maryland; Amber McCarthy of Havelock, North Carolina; and Tiffany Lee of Gambrills, Maryland also were injured and were hospitalized after the accident.
“It seems almost incomprehensible that in the past eight days, the University of Mount Olive has mourned the loss of four students,” UMO Interim President Dr. Edward Croom said in a statement. “Chaney Partrich has succumbed to the injuries she sustained in that deadly crash which occurred on Friday, March 13. We, as a community, are grieving with her family and friends at a life lost much too soon.”
Chaney’s father posted a tribute on his daughter’s passing Saturday on the Chapin girls lacrosse Facebook page.
“My beautiful baby Chaney Daniel Partrich went to heaven today at 11:29 am. Chaney made everybody around her happier. Chaney especially loved her lacrosse family at Chapin. Everyone has been so wonderful. Please remember Chaney’s beautiful smile. If everyone were like Chaney the world would be a much better place. I will miss you my precious, wonderful Chaney. You are with Jesus now,” Erknee Partrich wrote.
The Chapin girls lacrosse team posted a tribute on Facebook that read: “This morning my sweet sister went to be with Jesus. She was the strongest person I have ever seen and she loved the Lord with all of her heart. I know she is not suffering anymore. We love you Chaney.”
The school held a candlelight vigil in Partrich’s memory Saturday evening. A gofundme page for Partrich has been set up to offset medical costs.
According to WRAL-TV in Raleigh, were in a Jeep that was T-boned by a tractor trailer at the intersection of N.C. Highway 55 and Indian Springs Road in Mount Olive at 12:53 a.m. March 13. According to WRAL, troopers said the Jeep was driving north on Indian Springs Road and failed to yield at the intersection.
Troopers said the driver and the woman in the front seat were wearing seatbelts. The passengers in the back were not.
Partrich, a 2018 Chapin graduate, transferred to Mount Olive after one year at South Carolina. She appeared in two games this season.
At Chapin, Partrich was a two-year captain for the Eagles and was first-team all-defensive selection her senior year. She was on the Eagles squad that played for a state title in 2017.
Chapin won its first state lacrosse championship last year.
This story was originally published March 22, 2020 at 11:48 AM.
