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Marian graduate survives crash, 2 killed

A 19-year-old Tamaqua woman miraculously escaped life-threatening injuries after being involved in a fatal car crash in Lackawanna County on Monday night.

Kaylee Ceci was a passenger in a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt being driven by Tashandra Burton, 19, of Wilkes-Barre. The car was traveling east on routes 6 and 11 in La Plume Township when Burton lost control, crossed over the grass median and entered the westbound lane. The Chevy struck a 2012 VW Jetta being operated by Joshua Zilla, 20, of Dunmore.Burton and her front-seat passenger, Michael Burkhardt, 19, of Waymart, both died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland ruled both deaths as accidental due to multiple traumatic injuries.Ceci, Zilla and two other passengers in Burton's car, Allison Berman, 18, of Wilkes-Barre and Emily Fardoulis, 19, of Smyrna, Delaware, were all injured and transported to the Geisinger Community Medical Center.Ceci, the daughter of assistant Marian football coach Lou Ceci and Michelle Ceci, underwent surgery on Tuesday and was listed as being in "good condition," according to a GCMC representative. She is a 2015 graduate of Marian Catholic High School in Hometown.All of the victims of the crash are students at Keystone College.Pennsylvania State Police at the Dunmore barracks are investigating the crash, which they say happened at 9:38 p.m.