High Schoolers Injured In Crash Welcomed Home

It’s been a traumatic and stressful last few weeks in the lives of four Neshaminy High School girls severely injured in a March 27 car crash allegedly caused by a driver allegedly operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Although attorneys for car accident claims repeatedly warn about the danger of drunk driving, irresponsible drivers do not listen and put others’ lives at stake.

But a welcome home parade for one of them Sunday afternoon that could only be described as royal should go a long way toward buoying their spirits and strengthening their resolve to continue their recoveries. Here is the law firm for slip and fall injuries that you can have a look at as they also take care of other injury related cases. This case is a serious one and the person who files this case in court must use the toughest lawyer in the locality to fight for the cause of children. Pasadena injury attorneys are the best choice to fight for the children as they are very good experience in handling these types of cases and also will make sure that the accused receives proper punishment and the children receive proper compensation.

The event held for Julia Aquilone in front of her house in Levittown’s Cobalt Ridge neighborhood of Middletown Township saw her reunite with her three friends and fellow accident victims Angelique Corsino, Julianna Mazzoni, and Taylor Donnelly. All are 17 and juniors at Neshaminy, though they’ve been unable to resume schooling in any form since the accident.

“I’m glad to be home and was really happy to see the other three girls today,” said Julia after dozens and dozens of firetrucks, ambulances and other vehicles of all kinds passed by honking their horns, shouting greetings and waving “welcome home” and “love ya Julia” signs. Many in the group also stopped to talk to Julia and her family and three friends, wish them well and give them gifts.

Included in the welcoming party were many first responders and others who helped the four girls at the accident and since.

“This is going to help a lot, because I haven’t seen them (her three friends) since the accident,” Julia said.

The four girls were injured in an accident on Bridgetown Pike in Northampton Township near its border with Lower Southampton, According to authorities, a vehicle driven by Shane Brolly, 24, a United Kingdom citizen living in Philadelphia, was attempting to pass in a no-passing zone when it struck a vehicle driven by Julia, with her three friends as passengers, pushing it about 50 feet and causing it to roll over. Another vehicle was also involved in the accident.

Brolly, who remains in county lockup after failing to pay 10 percent of $10 million bail, was also injured in the crash. He has been charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault by vehicle and recklessly endangering another person. He will soon, according to authorities, also face charges of aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, DUI-general impairment, DUI highest rate of alcohol and three summary traffic violations. Readings taken after the accident showed Brolly’s blood alcohol content at 0.21 percent, authorities said.

Julia suffered a broken jaw, broken femur, broken knee, broken wrist, and other injuries. She is still limited to eating liquified food through a straw, her father Carlo Aquilone said, and only very recently returned home after several weeks at Temple University Hospital and Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. 

Her three friends also went through fairly lengthy hospital stays with injuries of varying severity, and were able to return home before Julia who, along with Taylor, were in wheelchairs at Sunday’s event. Julianna wore a large brace around her midsection and had to sit down to rest a short way through the event.

“That night, I didn’t even think she was going to be alive,” Julia’s mother Jaime Aquilone said. “It was a parents’ worst nightmare. Any moment after that, we were willing to handle and fight through, and her attitude and determination helps us out as parents. 

“It’s been a very trying time but for Julia, there’s nothing like being at home. Being in her own bed and having contact again with her friends gives her the strength to continue the fight. She has a long road ahead of her.”
The family didn’t want to say much about the details of the accident or Brolly’s role in it.

“That is all up to the investigators right now,” Carlo Aquilone said. “Right now, it really doesn’t matter to us. What matters is for Julia and the other girls to get back to the way they were before. Everything else is up to the police and the investigators, who are doing an amazing job.”

Angelique said she tries hard to not let anger dominate her thoughts.

“I don’t hate the guy,” she said of Brolly. “I’m just upset he made those really bad decisions.”

The Aquilones and Julia’s three friends all said they were tremendously uplifted by all the care shown by so many at Sunday’s event.

“It’s so amazing how the people who came out to see Julia are showing their love for her,” said Taylor.
“I really appreciate everyone being here,” Julianna added. “It’s so nice. It’s overwhelming.”

Carin O’Donnell, an attorney with Stark & Stark who is representing the Aquilone family, said she hopes Sunday’s event helps to send a message.

“Today was an amazing day of community support for Julia,” O’Donnell said. “Not only did the community provide Julia support, but also through their actions helped raise awareness of the harm that is certain to occur when someone is intoxicated and drives.

“By raising awareness today, the community helped to prevent the next incident. By raising awareness today, the community helped to deter future acts so that another person is not injured. By raising awareness today, the community helped people think about their choices the next time. Unfortunately for Julia – this time – it is too late. The harm is done and she will continue to struggle.”

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