A senior at Attica High School is dead following a crash on Route 98 in the Town of Bennington.
Wyoming County Sheriff's deputies say 18-year-old Dominic Maksymik of Attica crossed into the opposite lane around 10 p.m. Sunday, hitting a tractor trailer.
Maksymik was pronounced dead at the scene. A female passenger in his car was airlifted to ECMC, where she's listed in critical condition.
The tractor trailer driver was treated at the scene and released. No charges are expected to be filed in the crash, though it remains under investigation.
The family of Maksymik released a statement, saying they are devastated and Dom was an amazing young man who had a heart of gold and was always there to comfort anyone.
"We would like to encourage families to never leave each other's company without saying that you love them. That was the way it was left with Dom. We loved him so much and will always keep him near to our hearts."
School officials tell 7 Eyewitness News that Maksymik was working in the BOCES Culinary Arts program, where he was doing well. His friend Aaron Donahue tells us Maksymik was a chef at Byrncliff Resort in Varysburg and loved to cook gourmet meals.
"He was really into cooking. He had a great head on his shoulders; he never got in trouble. He was an all-out friendly kid, and he just loved life. He would go to his fullest to make anybody happy, and it's so sad something like this had to happen to a kid like that," Donahue said.
The school has grief counselors available on site and extra substitute teachers have been brought in to support student needs.
A vigil will be held for Maksymik at the Attica Senior High School at 7 p.m. on Monday.
