GRANBY — The passenger killed in a vehicle crash Saturday has been identified as Katelyn Gress, 28, a Granby mother who was nearing completion of a nursing degree.
Gress was riding in a Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling north on Pleasant Street in Granby around 1:15 a.m. when the vehicle crossed into the oncoming lane, rolled over and struck a Lexus SUV, according to the Northwestern district attorney’s office. Gress was taken to Baystate Medical Center where she was pronounced dead, the district attorney’s office said.
Gress had been studying to be a nurse at Springfield Technical Community College and was a year away from graduating, according to her cousin Heather Lalonde. As a child, Gress’ father would take her and her sister Julia on trips to learn outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking and archery.
Lalonde described Gress as a hardworking individual who loved tattoos, Harry Potter and her 8-year-old daughter, Aubrey.
“Aubrey was her best friend. She loved her so much,” Lalonde said. “This is all very sudden, and she will be greatly missed.”
Gress is survived by her mother, Joanne Olden, her father, Kenneth Gress, her sister Julia Burns, her daughter Aubrey, her fiance, Cory Menard and many cousins, aunts and uncles, Lalonde office said. Commemorative services will be planned at a later date. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Menard and Gress’ daughter during this time.
The driver, identified by the district attorney’s office as a 30-year-old Granby man, was taken to Baystate Medical Center for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening, investigators said .
The driver of the Lexus, identifed as a 74-year-old Springfield man, was taken to Holyoke Medical Center for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening.
The intersection Pleasant and Barton streets was shut down for about eight hours as police investigated and workers attended to damaged telephone poles and downed power lines.
Granby police, State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney’s office, troopers with the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and the Crime Scene Services Section are investigating the crash. No charges have been filed.
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.
