Zhang Qian

    zhqcindy@163.com

    A 20-YEAR-OLD Cornell University student and native of Shenzhen, Shi Peiran (Joyce), died from injuries she sustained as a passenger in a fiery two-vehicle crash Monday night local time on Route 80 in Knowlton, New Jersey in the United States, dailyrecord.com reported.

    According to a New Jersey State Police report, Shi was ejected from the car that she was traveling in with two other Cornell students, and later died at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem.

    The accident report revealed that Shi was a passenger in the car, which was being driven by Sifan Hou, 21, at about 9:55 p.m., when it collided with another sedan being driven by Sherod Garvin, 28.

    Following the impact, the car driven by the Chinese student ran off the road to the left, hit a guard rail, overturned and finally hit several trees before becoming fully engulfed in flames.

    Shi was still conscious when she was transported from the scene via helicopter, said Trooper Alejandro Goez. The cause of death was ruled as accidental and the result of “blunt force injuries.”

    Hou and another passenger, Jiaying Wang, 20, were fellow Cornell students, the university confirmed Tuesday. Both sustained minor injuries. They were transported by ground to Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg, where they were treated and released.

    “It is with deep sadness that I write to inform you that we have lost a member of the Cornell community,” Cornell vice president for student and campus life Ryan Lombardi announced in a statement posted in his Twitter account.

    “Peiran ‘Joyce’ Shi, a student in the College of Arts & Sciences, died from injuries sustained in a car accident in New Jersey late last night. Two other Cornell students were involved in the accident, and have been treated for their injuries and released from the hospital.”

    “Joyce planned to major in physics and pursued many academic and extracurricular interests in foreign languages, electronic circuits and karate,” Lombardi wrote.

    @CornellPhysics, the official Twitter for Department of Cornell Physics, said it extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Shi.

    The university, which is on spring break this week, said that support services, including counseling, have been made available to students.

    Another Shenzhen student who is now studying in the United States, Wan Kexin, was Shi’s schoolmate at Shenzhen Experimental School. Wan said that she was extremely shocked and saddened to hear the news.

    “I feel so sad that such an outstanding and nice girl has left us,” said Wan. The student described Shi as “extremely smart and outgoing with a warm personality and always willing to help others.”