The patrol says Kassandra Strain of Spanaway was on her way to school and pulled from 243rd Street Court East onto Highway 7 right in front of a semi-truck. The truck slammed into driver's side of Strain's Honda Civic.

Her friends were right in the car behind her, and saw it happen.

Troopers say Strain was wearing a seatbelt, but the impact was so severe that she sustained fatal internal injuries. The 67-year-old driver of the truck was not injured.

It was the second time in a year a Bethel High School student has been killed in a car crash. Last April, 16-year-old Sherry Tumlison was killed as she pulled out into traffic and was hit broadside.

Students say Kassandra, who went by 'Kassie', was instrumental in helping classmates heal then.

"When Sherry passed away she was really trying to comfort a lot of people and to try and be there for them," said friend Tabitha Rudegeair. "She'd tell them: 'Don't worry, we're going to be OK,' and she'd always be the perfect one to go to and talk to about anything."

Now someone else will have to take over Kassie's role and comfort those who are grieving her loss.

"It's a tragedy," said Mark Wenzel with the Bethel School District. "One teacher described her as the essence of Bethel High School. She had a lot of friends, she was a great student, she asked great questions in class, and so the students are mourning quite a bit today."

Kassie was a dancer, an actress, and was attending a nursing vocational program.

"She was extremely outgoing," said Kassie's teacher MaryEllen Gilmour. "And her smile... her smile is something everybody is going to remember."

Counselors were on hand to help students deal with the tragedy.

Troopers say that speed was not a factor in the crash, nor were drugs or alcohol. The crash happened during darkness but the truck did have its lights on. They're still investigating what happened.

In the meantime, a roadside tribute to Kassie has been growing at the site where the accident occurred.