It began like any normal Friday night in western Pennsylvania - the head cheerleader and a member of the prom court attending a high school football game with some friends. But the perfect evening for two Elizabeth Forward students and an EF graduate ended in tragedy. Candace Geiser, 17, Bethann Zagurasky, 17, and Brian Ash, 20, were killed when their car struck a pick-up truck driven by Rob Pardick, 3:15 a.m. Saturday on Broadlawn Drive in Elizabeth Township. Pardick, 30, was flown by emergency helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh, where he was listed in serious condition this morning. Police said the vehicle Ash was driving crossed the center line as it came around the bend and struck the Pardich truck head on. "There is every indication that speed was a factor," said Elizabeth Township Police Chief David Graham. Graham said the speedometer of the Ash car had stuck at 70 miles per hour. He said the Pardick truck was on the far right side of the road, farthest from the center line at the time of impact. "Pardick was an innocent victim," Graham said. This is the second time in six months that students at Elizabeth Forward High School are mourning the loss of a fellow student. In March, Lucas Butler, 18, a senior at Elizabeth Forward at the time, was killed on Simpson Howell Road while riding to school. The driver of that vehicle, Eric Migliori, 17, a junior, was injured. Friday night, Zagurasky and Geiser had attended the Warriors football game at Thomas Jefferson. After the game, the students went to Chili's Restaurant near Century III Mall to celebrate the birthday of student and cheerleader Candace Duvall, said Cheryl Miller Duvall, the girl's stepmother. After leaving Chili's, Zagurasky and Geiser were dropped off at home, but later went back out to attend a party in the Mount Vernon section of the township, Duvall said. Duvall said both girls were popular in school. Geiser was a member of the homecoming court. The homecoming queen is expected to be named this Friday when the Warriors host McGuffey. A district spokesperson said a decision on whether to hold homecoming events this weekend will be made later today. Miller said another stepdaughter, Lauren, and Geiser were best friends and were planning to room together next year at West Virginia University. She said the deaths have hit her hard. "She's like in a daze," Duvall said. "She can't believe it. She wrote a poem for her." Many students attended candlelight vigils at the accident scene both Saturday and Sunday evenings.

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