Community mourns teen killed in fiery Port Chester crash

Police and Village of Port Chester officials say Tania Lopez, 16, died as a result of a crash Saturday evening on Westchester Avenue.

Melanie Palmer

Aug 20, 2025, 4:25 PM

Updated 2 days ago

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The Port Chester community is mourning the loss of a teenage girl who died following a crash in Rye Brook.
Police and Village of Port Chester officials say Tania Lopez, 16, died as a result of a crash Saturday evening on Westchester Avenue.
"No one is prepared for this circumstance. It's sad. As a parent and as mayor, my heart goes to the family," said Port Chester Mayor Luis Marino.
One SUV was involved in the crash, according to police. When officers got to the scene, it was overturned and on fire.
“It’s shocking because I didn’t know what was going on," says Kelly Gonzalez, who lives near where the crash happened.
News 12 is told that the family was on the way home from a trip to the beach.
“You don’t want to see this kind of sadness," Mayor Marino tells News12.
Lopez was a student at Port Chester High School.
The district's superintendent released a statement online, which states in part:
"Our hearts and prayers are with the family during this unimaginably difficult time. Please know that we are here to offer compassion and support. As we await further details, I felt it was important to reach out and remind our community of the strength that comes from standing together in moments of sorrow."
A GoFundMe account has been created to help the family.
Police are investigating what caused the crash.