A honor student at Clarkstown North High School was killed last night after the car she and her friends were riding in struck another vehicle and rolled down an embankment. Click "NEXT" to hear from friends of Dana Sassano as they try and cope with their sudden loss.

Investigators say Joseph Nugent, 17, of New City, was driving a Toyota 4 Runner westbound on Route 17A near Jarmaine Road at around 9 p.m. when he lost control, striking a van and sending the SUV down a near 60-foot embankment. Warwick police say 17-year-old Dana Sassano, a senior, was killed instantly when the impact of the crash threw her 25 feet from the SUV. Investigators say the vehicle flipped over several times with the rest of the teens still inside.

Nugent and two other passengers, Matthew Malloy and Matthew Lawson, both 17, were rushed to area hospitals with serious injuries.

Police say they are looking into whether Sassano was wearing her seat belt. They say driver inexperience and icy roads are likely to blame. No tickets have been issued.