Editor’s note: This story, which was originally published Oct. 3 at 10:34 a.m., was updated on Oct. 3 at noon to add information from the school principal and Montgomery County police.
The Sherwood High School community in Sandy Spring is grieving the death of senior Sanaa Vil, 17, who died in a car crash on Norwood Road around 8 a.m. on Wednesday.
The collision also left two other Sherwood students critically injured, according to Montgomery County police. In a news release Thursday morning, police said that Vil was from Brookeville.
According to a letter sent to the school community by Sherwood Principal Timothy Britton, Vil was a member of the girls varsity basketball team and an active member of the Black Student Union. Britton said in his letter that her “vibrant presence” touched many in the community.
At the scene of the crash, community members placed dozens of flowers, several candles, cards, a teddy bear and a basketball covered in words honoring the 17-year-old.
The Sherwood High School girls basketball team posted on social media that Vil “was an instant flood of light in the darkest of rooms, extremely charismatic, a natural born leader, and one of the kindest people on the planet.”
According to the GoFundMe purportedly set up by the Vil family, she is survived by her parents and four siblings. More than $18,880 of the $50,000 goal has been raised according to the page as of Thursday morning.
“Sanaa’s family, friends and church community are still in shock by this devastating loss and are trying to cope with this sudden death,” the GoFundMe organizer wrote. “She was scheduled to graduate in Spring 2025 with high hopes of attending college in the fall.”
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) crews responded to 17505 Norwood Road around 8 a.m. Wednesday for the report of a car crash with “multiple patients” according to radio transmissions. Vil was driving a red 2005 Toyota Corolla northbound on Norwood, and the car failed to navigate a turn and collided with a wooden telephone pole, according to the Thursday news release from Montgomery County police.
Police confirmed that Vil was pronounced dead at the scene, and a 17-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy were transported to a hospital in critical condition.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) spokesperson Liliana López said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that three Sherwood High School students were involved in the fatal car accident. The area where the crash occurred is less than 1.5 miles away from the school.
According to the Sherwood High girls basketball team social media, another member of the team was in the accident and one of the students was injured and will probably have a “long road of recovery” in her future.
In a statement to MoCo360 on Wednesday, MCPS said they were “saddened by the news and are providing support to students, staff and families affected by this tragic event.” In his letter, Britton said Sherwood and MCPS support teams would be available to provide counseling services for students and staff.
“Losing a young life is one of the most difficult and painful experiences we face as a community,” Britton said in his letter. “In moments like these, we are reminded of the importance of leaning on one another for support, empathy, and comfort.”
