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The 23-year-old was in a vehicle with friends Uchechukw Chukwuma, 24, and Brianna Martinez, 23, when the Nissan Altima they were riding in rear-ended a tractor trailer on Rt.1 around 11:50 p.m.
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"Franklin has been struck with a tragedy. Three young woman, Brianna Martinez, Michaela Powell, Uchechukw Chukwuma, all from Franklin, died [Friday night] in a horrible motor vehicle accident. Our hearts are broken. Please keep them and their families in your thoughts and prayers," Franklin Mayor Phil Kramer wrote.
"To know Michaela was to love her. She was a kind, caring, and ambitious young woman whose smile and energy was enough to light up a room. She loved music, animals, and spending time with her friends and family who she adored. She was finishing up her final semester at Montclair State University and had a bright future ahead of her," wrote the organizers of the fundraiser.
The money will help the family with funeral expenses and other costs.
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