Highway deaths met with shock, sadness and anger in Trinity Bay

Residents of the tiny community of Thornlea and the larger Trinity Bay region are still rattled by a deadly crash on Friday that claimed the life of an elderly woman and resulted in serious charges against another driver, who police allege was impaired.

Jane Newhook, 83, was a resident of nearby Norman's Cove-Long Cove, and travelled to Thornlea to have supper with some family and friends.

But she died at the scene when her car collided with another vehicle on a bend in the road just after 7 p.m.

It was the second deadly crash in the region in as many days, and many say both could have been prevented.

CBC News has confirmed the identity of the other driver as George Whalen, 67, who moved to Thornlea several years ago.

Whalen faces a litany of charges, primarily impaired driving causing death.

But he also faces charges of leaving the scene, driving without a valid licence, and refusing to give a breath sample.

His grandson was a passenger in the vehicle. He was also arrested on an unrelated matter.

Sources tell CBC News Whalen has "addiction issues," and that he had been "drinking all day" on Friday prior to the accident.

A 'gentle soul'

Newhook was described by a close friend Monday as a "beautiful person" who was widowed about 25 years ago and had seven daughters.

Her great niece, Laura Gulliver Keating, condemned drinking and driving in a Facebook post, calling Newhook's death a "senseless act."

"She was such a gentle soul. It's just unfair," Gulliver Keating wrote.

Thornlea is a quiet community of roughly 100 residents in Trinity South, about 42 kilometres northwest of Whitbourne.

Crash victim was recent high school grad

Meanwhile, Hannah Thorne of New Harbour, a recent graduate of Crescent Collegiate, died Thursday evening in a two-vehicle crash on Route 73, not far from her hometown.

Funeral services were scheduled for Monday afternoon, and the school was open over the weekend so students and staff could mourn together.

Thorne, 18, was in a vehicle driven by her 81-year-old grandmother when it collided head-on with another vehicle on a stretch of highway known as the New Harbour Barrens.

Sources say the other vehicle was attempting to pass on the two-lane stretch of road when the collision occurred.

Police investigators would not confirm this, but described the case as a "very serious file."

Thorne's grandmother received leg injuries, and is expected to recover.

The 30-year-old male driver of the other vehicle also received what police describe as non-life-threatening injuries.

An investigation is continuing into both incidents, police say.