Emma Wallace, a 16-year-old South Granville High School student and athlete, was killed Monday morning in a two-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 15 near Oxford in Granville County, North Carolina. The crash happened Aug. 17 as Wallace was traveling southbound. Her vehicle collided with another vehicle heading north, according to authorities.
Wallace was more than a student at South Granville High School. She played both volleyball and softball and was a familiar face among classmates, teammates and coaches. Her sudden death has left the school community dealing with a loss that came just as the new school year was getting underway.
Emma was also the daughter of Corporal Tony Wallace, a school resource officer in Creedmoor. That connection has made the tragedy especially painful for people in the school and law enforcement communities. Many who knew the Wallace family have now been left trying to make sense of a loss that happened in a matter of moments.
The crash happened on U.S. Highway 15, where Emma’s vehicle struck the northbound vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle stayed at the scene, and that driver’s identity has not been released. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Back at South Granville High School, the grief has been visible. A memorial grew outside the school with flowers, balloons, handwritten notes and a wooden cross bearing Emma’s first name. The cross was placed in parking space No. 132, her assigned space at the school.
Her close friend Macy Dickerson helped create the memorial. She remembered Emma as someone who cared about other people and was always there for her friends. For students who knew her, the memorial has become a place to stop, remember her and face the reality that she will not be returning to class or the athletic fields.
Emma’s role as an athlete also remains a major part of the memories surrounding her. She played volleyball and softball, giving her close ties to teammates and coaches. Her death has changed the atmosphere at a school where students were supposed to be settling into another year of classes, practices and games.
South Granville High School Principal Ashley Clark said the school community’s hearts were broken by Emma’s death. Granville County Public Schools has provided support to students and staff as they deal with the loss.
Creedmoor Police Chief Troy Wheless also offered condolences to Emma’s family, friends, teammates and everyone affected by her death. Police have thanked the community for the support shown to the Wallace family during the difficult days following the crash.
Emma’s funeral was scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 23, at the South Granville High School auditorium. Family and friends were expected to gather at noon, with the service set for 2 p.m. Burial was planned afterward at Meadowview Memorial Park in Oxford. Emma would have turned 17 next month.
For the people who knew Emma, the crash is only part of what they are remembering. They are thinking about a student who played two sports, a friend who showed up for others, a teammate who shared the field with her peers and a daughter whose death has left her family and community facing an unimaginable goodbye.
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