The Altoona Area School District is reeling after the deaths this weekend of two students in two separate traffic accidents.

Early Sunday morning, an Altoona Area girls soccer player was killed in a crash in Altoona (see related story on Page A1). Later that day, district officials learned of another crash that took the life of a male student.

It has been a difficult couple of days, said Paula Foreman, district spokeswoman.

“To have a loss of life at this young of an age makes it (especially difficult),” she said.

In both cases, the district is providing extra counseling and grief support at the high school for staff and students who need it, according to a memo to parents signed by district Superintendent Brad Hatch.

Parents with concerns about their children’s reactions to the deaths can call the Counseling Department at 814-946-8277, Hatch stated in the memo.

After receiving initial reports, the district confirmed the second death with the victim’s family, Foreman said.

It was reportedly a one-car accident, she said, adding that she had limited information at this point.

A one-vehicle accident about 10:30 p.m. Sunday on Route 30 in East Providence Township killed two passengers and seriously injured the driver, according to a state police report.

The Mirror has been unable to confirm that this crash is the same accident that resulted in the male student’s death.

According to the report in this case, a 1999 Honda Accord, driven by Kaleb L. Strong, 19, of Altoona, went off the westbound lane, struck an embankment, spun several times and came to rest facing eastbound in the right westbound lane.

During the crash, the two back seat passengers were ejected, state police reported. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The adult victim was identified as Kamren D. Martin, 22, of State College. The other male victim was not identified in the police report and no age was provided.

A fourth occupant, Tyler W. Young, 27, of Tyrone, suffered suspected minor injuries, according to the report.

Strong was transported to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center for treatment of suspected serious injuries, while Young was transported to the Fulton County Medical Center.