Friends and family are remembering a UNC Charlotte student who died after police said she fell out of a party bus window Tuesday night and was hit by two cars in northeast Charlotte.
Polly Rogers, 20, died after she fell out of the emergency window of a Charlotte Party Charter bus around 10:25 p.m. Tuesday, investigators said. The crash happened on North Tryon Street, near Sugar Creek Road in northeast Charlotte.
Authorities said the bus was traveling from UNC Charlotte to a bar in uptown. University officials confirmed Rogers was a student at UNCC, and WSOCTV learned she was a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority.
"It's mind-blowing to think that we were all celebrating the last day of classes last night,” fellow student Cassidy Carvalho said. “I never would have imagined anything like that to have happened.”
Zeta Tau Alpha Chapter President Alexis Marie Burns said Rogers was “the friendliest person you would ever meet in your life.”
“She could always be found in the common areas of the house, greeting sisters after their day at classes and making sure their day was going great," Burns said.
Rogers was an emerging leader in her chapter and served in multiple roles, including on the recruitment committee. Officials with UNCC said she was studying special education at the Cato College of Education.
"Her professors describe her as warm and caring, as do others who had the pleasure of knowing her," said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Kevin W. Bailey.
Rogers’ former cheerleading coach at Myers Park High School, Kristin Jones, said she was in “complete shock” after she learned about the accident.
"It doesn't really seem fair to lose someone so young," Jones said. “It’s such a tragic, unexpected accident."
Jones said Rogers had a huge heart for children and that she volunteered at Levine Children's Hospital during the summer.
“She was such a special spirit, and that's definitely something I will always remember about her -- sharing that Levine Children’s Hospital experience together," Jones said.
As of Tuesday morning, no charges have been filed in the case. Police said speed was not a factor in the incident.
About the Author
