CLEVELAND, Texas (AP) – Four teenagers carpooling to school were killed in a collision Friday, along with the driver of a second car, as they tried to pass three 18-wheelers on a two-lane road.

The accident happened outside the town of Cleveland, about 45 miles north of Houston, just after 7 a.m., said Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Troy Dyson.

The students were identified as Matthew Montemayor, 17, his sister Jennie, 15, Brenlin Russell Johnson, 18, and Gina Adana, 17. The fifth victim was identified as Willard Bell, 32, who worked at a privately run state jail in Cleveland.

The students were all in a car behind the 18-wheelers when Johnson attempted to pass the trucks, Dyson said. They were in the lane of oncoming traffic when they saw Bell approaching. They swerved to avoid Bell’s car, but were hit on the passenger side. All died at the scene.

Dyson said a preliminary investigation showed no evidence that alcohol played a role in the accident.

“It appeared to have been a very violent impact. The vehicles were obviously torn up very badly,” said Terry Myers, superintendent for the Cleveland school district.

Counselors and pastors were called to the 805-student school to help grieving students.

“I still can’t believe it,” said DeMarcus Fletcher, 17. “A girl came into class crying that Matt got killed. Then they were saying his little sister was killed. I thought, golly, all at once.”