Hundreds come out to remember 9-year-old killed in fatal crash - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Hundreds come out to remember 9-year-old girl killed in fatal crash

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  • SPOKANE, Wash. - The 89-year-old woman involved in a crash that left a 9-year-old girl dead will be undergoing a driver re-exam to determine whether or not, at her age, she is capable of being on the road.
    SPOKANE, Wash. - The 89-year-old woman involved in a crash that left a 9-year-old girl dead will be undergoing a driver re-exam to determine whether or not, at her age, she is capable of being on the road. Nine-year-old Nehalah May was riding on her grandfather's motorcycle when it collided Sunday afternoon with a car driven by 89-year-old Esther Mae Westlund. Westland was making a turn off Highway 195 about three miles south of Spokane when the crash happened.
  • May 10, 2009 11:377PM PDT 2009-05-11 09:27:32 GMT
    SPOKANE, Wash. - A 9-year-old girl has died after the motorcycle she was riding on was struck by a passenger car on Hwy. 195 Sunday afternoon.
    SPOKANE, Wash. - A 9-year-old girl has died after the motorcycle she was riding on was struck by a passenger car on Hwy. 195 Sunday afternoon.

CHEWELAH, Wash. - Hundreds of mourners came out Saturday afternoon to remember the life of Nehalah May.  The 9-year-old girl was killed in a motorcycle crash last Sunday.

Two memorial services were held in her memory Saturday.  The first was held at Gess Elementary School in Chewelah.  The second service was a private memorial at the May family home open to those who knew Nehalah.

Hundreds of people attended the public memorial, where friends and loved ones remembered Nehalah as a spunky, happy, young girl who enjoyed life to the fullest.

Nehalah's elementary school principal, Jerry Pugh, described her as full of smiles.  He said Gess Elementary is a close-knit school, and it will take the community time to heal from this tragedy.

A memorial fund has been set up at the Chewelah Bank of America under Nehalah May or Ron May.

9-year-old Nehalah May was riding on her grandfather's motorcycle when it was struck Sunday afternoon by a car driven by 89-year-old Esther Mae Westlund.

Westlund was making a turn off Highway 195 about three miles south of Spokane when the crash happened.

Nehalah was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center where she died. Her grandfather, 51-year-old Robin Scholz was taken to Deaconess Medical Center in serious condition. Westlund was not injured and was cited for negligent driving for failing to yield the right of way, which incurs a $550 fine.