Community mourns Priceville teen killed in weekend crash

At 9:02 p.m., Decatur police officers and Decatur Fire and Rescue responded to a collision in the area of Beltline Road and Westmead Street Southwest. One of the vehicles was fully engulfed in flames when responders arrived and a juvenile occupant was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the driver of the other vehicle, Decatur resident Kevin Jay Penich, was arrested for driving under the influence and on Monday was charged with murder. He was in Morgan County Jail with bail set at $250,000.

According to police, several people attempted to rescue her from the vehicle before first responders arrived. "Tragically, during their efforts, the vehicle exploded, seriously injuring one of the civilians. The civilian was later airlifted to UAB Hospital due to the severity of their burns," police said in a statement Monday afternoon. "... Their courage in the face of danger is a testament to the strength and compassion of our community."

Hastings was 17 and had just finished her junior year at Priceville High School.

Hastings was a trainer of the football team at her school, as well as the manager of the softball team and a photographer for the soccer team.

Morgan County Schools Superintendent Tracie Turrentine issued a statement about Hastings on Monday.

“This student was known for her kindness, warmth, and unwavering support for her friends, along with an infectious personality that could brighten anyone's day with a smile,” Turrentine said. “We extend our deepest sympathies to the student’s family and friends, and our thoughts and prayers are with them.

"Our Crisis Support Team will be available for students and staff over the next few days at school. During this time, as the school community processes this news and copes with grief, please know that support services are available to those who need them.”

Hastings attended First Methodist Church of Hartselle with her family and had been involved with the church her whole life, according to youth minister Shannon Booth.

“They had been a part of the church and First Methodist preschool for as long as I can remember,” Booth said. “At least 20 years.”

The two first met when Hastings was in the sixth grade. Booth noted her activity in the church, from the children’s ministry to vacation Bible school.

“She then moved up into the youth ministry, which is where I work, and she had been faithful and active that whole time,” Booth said. “She loved participating in all kinds of things, especially mission trips. That was one of her favorite things to do was to serve other people.”

Booth said Hastings had just recently returned from a mission trip to Costa Rica where she worked with a church there. She said Hastings had also gone to Tennessee and Virginia for mission trips where she worked on construction and renovation projects for their communities.

“She just grew from being a young person with a servant’s heart to an adult with a servant’s heart and to see her grow in leadership was really special,” Booth said.

Hastings was a person who acknowledged the good in others and made sure they felt “loved and important,” according to Booth.

“That’s not a skill that all adolescents have naturally,” she said.

One way Hastings showed her concern for others was through her role as the soccer team’s photographer, where she made a point to capture action shots of every player at each game. Booth also recalled her enthusiasm for photographing church events, always making sure everyone was included in her pictures.

Booth said Hastings had hoped to pursue a career in physical therapy, a passion motivated by her experience as a trainer for the football team.

“The thing I will miss most about Chloe is her sense of both gratitude and generosity,” Booth said. “If you gave Chloe a gift, she’d find a way to share it with the people around her. In Mathew 5:14, Jesus says, ‘You are the light of the world.’ Chloe took that to heart and lived it out. We put up a banner so people could write memories of Chloe, and I saw several people wrote, ‘Live like Chloe.’

"Living like Chloe means living a life of generosity and service.”