Friends Mourn Football Player Killed In Crash
[B' Spokes: If I am correctly deciphering where this happened, only one crosswalk with no zebra stripes, on a busy road. Exactly how is that best engineering for the needs of pedestrains as required by State law?]***********************************************
Reporting Suzanne Collins
HARFORD COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) ―
Students at Fallston High School are devastated after a popular football player is killed crossing a busy Harford County road. Suzanne Collins reports two of the victim's friends witnessed the fatal crash.
It's been a very emotional day for dozens of teenagers who knew the 14-year-old and there are concerns about the dangers of that busy intersection.
A memorial was held Saturday at the Fallston Rec Center in memory of Joey D'Entremont. The 14-year-old freshman died Friday night crossing Route 24 north of the Bel Air Bypass.
All day friends comforted each other. They placed flowers, wrote sad notes and tried to cope with the death of a popular boy.
"He'll never be forgotten at Fallston High. He was a good kid and #30 will live forever," said Jessica Siemasko.
Joey played linebacker on the JV football team. He also played piano, wrote music and was well known in Fallston and Bel Air. Saturday, his JV teammates met at the coach's home.
"This is just a big shock to everybody. It's hard to believe he's gone," said teammate Michael Morgan.
"We've been at their house since 1 o'clock Saturday. We needed to bring the kids together. We had a youth minister there talking to the kids. They needed to be together today," said Karen Jersa.
State police say the preliminary investigation shows the 19-year-old boy who struck Joey had the right of way.
"We're thinking the crosswalk was prohibiting any pedestrians from coming at the time of the incident because north and southbound traffic had a steady green light," said Sean Harris, Maryland State Police.
State police say the driver who struck the teenager probably could not see him when he was crossing the street because there was traffic stopped in the turn lane that blocked the view.
A business owner at the corner says he's complained several times about the danger of the intersection to police.
On Saturday, the crossing signal on one side wasn't working.
"What can happen in such a short moment of time just a block from your house--it's scary," said Janine Meyer.
The tragedy has caused a roller coaster of emotions.
"One second I'm fine, completely fine and I can talk normally and act normally but I think I'm in denial. Another second, I'm sobbing," said Johanna Taylor.
State police say alcohol was not involved and speed was not a factor in the crash.
A memorial fund has been set up by the Fallston Rec Council.
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<a href="http://wjz.com/local/fatal.crash.2.1919972.html">http://wjz.com/local/fatal.crash.2.1919972.html</a>;
Where I am guessing the crash occurred: <a href="http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Baltimore,+Maryland&ll=39.557886,-76.370194&spn=0.006402,0.009645&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.558101,-76.370369&panoid=HZiTsQG2fifxBLjbtfVgEw&cbp=12,160.74,,0,28.93">http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Baltimore,+Maryland&ll=39.557886,-76.370194&spn=0.006402,0.009645&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.558101,-76.370369&panoid=HZiTsQG2fifxBLjbtfVgEw&cbp=12,160.74,,0,28.93</a>;
Not anywhere close to being a modal intersection for accommodating pedestrains.
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