Teen killed in tragic crash; family pleads with others to buckle up

BONNEY LAKE, Wash. -- Months after graduating high school, Mackenzie Martin is dead following a car crash Sunday night in Bonney Lake.

"We had called 911 to try and find out where to go, who to call and no one would tell us anything until we met with the chaplain, and he told us that she had died on the scene," said Tara Shoemaker, Martin’s sister.

Investigators said three teens were in the car that crashed Sunday night. They believe speeding was a factor.



Mackenzie had been in the front passenger seat of the car and was ejected when they crashed. She wasn’t wearing a seat belt. The other two in the car had been wearing a seat belt and survived.

"She probably would have been fine because the other two girls had a cut from their seat belt but they walked out of that hospital and my sister never even got a chance," said Shoemaker.

At the crash site, friends and family are leaving flowers and paying their respects. Those familiar with the road say it’s notorious for those seeking a thrill, speeding down the steep hill.

All lessons Mackenzie’s family wish they had all learned sooner, so she would still be alive today.

"We just really want people to be aware and follow the speed limits, wear your seat belt and tell people you love them because you know, I’ll never be able to tell her that again," said Shoemaker.

Investigators haven’t said yet whether the driver could face charges.

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