EASLEY — The Dacusville Middle School family is mourning the loss of a student for the second time in as many weeks after a 12-year-old girl died in a single-vehicle accident Saturday afternoon.

Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley identified the victim as Kelsi L. Merck, of Clark Lane in Easley.

The accident occurred at 3 p.m. Saturday on S.C. Highway 135 at Little Pond Road.

Merck was a passenger in a vehicle that ran off the side of the left side of the road, Kelley said.

She was pronounced dead at the scene and died of blunt force trauma, Kelley said.

Merck was wearing a seatbelt.

The driver of the vehicle was airlifted to the hospital with life-threatening

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