A Northside High School student was killed in a single-vehicle accident in Pulaski County Friday afternoon (July 19), according to an accident report from Arkansas State Police.
Ariana Balsara, 17, and Allen Ramirez, 18, were traveling west on Interstate 40 when the Mazda MZ3 Ramirez was driving ran off the left side of the road. According to the accident report, the vehicle traveled back across the westbound lanes and went off the right side of the highway where it struck it tree.
Balsara was pronounced dead at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, the report states. Ramirez was critically injured.
Balsara played soccer at Northside High School, according to friends. She would have started her senior year at Northside this fall, school officials say.
"She was really funny, never a boring moment,” said friend, Hailey Thomas. “She always had a smile on her face and she always loved goofing off and doing stupid things to make other people smile."
Balsara’s closest friends said they were shocked when they heard the news and are taking her death moment by moment.
"I still can't believe it,” said Merit Jennings. “I can't wrap my head around the fact that I can't see her next week or at school. She's not going to walk across the stage with us at graduation."
"It's the little things that you are going to miss the most. I was just hoping and praying it wasn't her, said friend, Sarika Maymoundok.”
Balsara’s closest friends traveled to her hospital room in Little Rock before she was taken off life support.
"They told us that she could probably hear us,” said friend Hailey Thomas. "When you are sitting there standing above your friend knowing that she's not going to make it, it’s hard to get words out."
Friends of Balsara said after they left the hospital they looked up and saw an image in the sky that resembled an angel.
"There was angel that appeared in the sky like in the clouds,” said Jennings. “We just kind of took that as she's is ok and she's in heaven."
Friends of Balsara said she wanted to study computer science after graduation. They said they will forever love and miss their best friend.
A candle light vigil for her will be held Wednesday (July 24) at Trinity Junior High in Fort Smith starting at 9 p.m.