Community mourns loss of 16-year-old girl killed in crash

FRANKLIN COUNTY, VA – A community is remembering 16-year-old Destiny Hodges who was killed in a vehicle crash Thursday night in Franklin County.

“Gonna miss her so much, so, so much. Young life left too soon,” her grandmother, Bonnie Hodges, said.

At 10:14 p.m., a 1989 Ford was traveling north on Route 220 Business, ran off the left side of the road, struck a guardrail and then hit a tree, according to state police.

“Just took everything out of me,” Jeffery Hagwood, Hodges' grandfather, said.

Police said the driver, 21-year-old Elijah Derrick Rorrer of Salem, was wearing his seat belt and was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Police said the passenger, Destiny Hodges of Rocky Mount, was wearing her seat belt and died at the scene.

“You’re a real dime piece that’s for sure. I’ve never met someone as sweet as you, you’re going to be missed dearly,” Destiny's friend, Kaitlyn Morgan stated.

The crash remains under investigation.