Lassiter High School Principal Dr. Chris Richie has released a statment regarding the death of Lassiter 2012 graduate Ryan Aschenbach and the injuring of his classmates Chris Heitzman and Tyler Seaman in an automobile accident on Trickum Road on July 7.

The statement, released in an email newsletter by Cobb School Board Post 5 member David Banks, reads as follows.

"There is nothing that I can I write that eases the pain that has hit our Lassiter Family as three of our students were involved in a traffic accident Saturday night on Trickum Road.  This is every parent’s worst nightmare as we learned of the passing of Ryan Aschenbach this morning.   Continue to pray for Chris Heitzman as he is on a ventilator at Grady Hospital in ICU.  Tyler Seaman is at home and is resting after suffering a concussion.  There is a blog for Chris with updates on his condition.

Knowing that we lost a member of this year’s senior class is very difficult.  I know how much each of you value the relationships you have with our kids and how supportive you are of our families especially when a tragedy like this occurs in our community. The impact of this accident is being felt  by our students in all grade levels and throughout the entire Lassiter community.  Please keep all of these families in your thoughts and prayers as we grieve with the Ashenbach family and we remain hopeful that we will receive good news on Chris Heitzman's condition."

Banks added to Richie's statment, saying that he hopes that everyone will, "pray for the Aschenbach family who are going through the worse time in their lives.  The pain and grief they are experiencing is almost unbearable."

"Hopefully this will be a time to honor the life of Mr. Ryan Aschenbach and the many lives he touched," Banks concluded.