* Jennifer Reed, Senior at Buena High School

Jennifer Reed, a Buena High School senior who recently moved to Ventura from Washington state with her family, was killed in an automobile accident in Orange County early New Year’s Day, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said. She was 17.

Jennifer was returning to Ventura after visiting a friend on New Year’s Eve, said her grandmother, Irene Reed. According to her grandmother, Jennifer was driving home alone about 4 a.m. Jan. 1, trying to get back to Ventura in time for her part-time job at an import store. The cause of the accident was under investigation, but family members speculated that she may have fallen asleep before her car swerved off the road and struck the center divider on the Orange Freeway near Diamond Bar.

After striking the divider, her car careened back onto the freeway and came to rest in the middle two northbound lanes of the four-lane road, said Officer John Gentry of the CHP. She was struck while trying to wave away oncoming cars, Gentry said, and pronounced dead an hour later at Brea Community Hospital in Orange County.

“Jennifer was a wonderful lady,” said Karen Birbeck, her counselor at Buena High School. “She was really upbeat despite having to move down here from Washington in her senior year. She had a lot of promise.”

Jennifer was engaged to be married and had plans to attend Eastern Washington University in the fall, her grandmother said. She told family members she wanted to become a teacher.

Survivors include her mother, Cynthia Klante of Ventura, father, David Reed of Ojai, and a sister and brother, both of Ventura. Visitation is from noon until 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Ted Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Ivy Lawn Cemetery in Ventura.