August 21, 2011

Four High School Football Players Killed in Tragic Car Accident

By - Brian Harrington

Four members of the Mainland Regional High School football team in New Jersey were killed yesterday afternoon in a one car accident while en route to an organized team meal.

It is reported that the SUV the teens were riding in crested a hill on the Garden State Parkway and encountered sudden and unexpected heavy traffic. The driver slammed on the brakes and swerved causing the vehicle to roll several times.

Photo by: Ben Fogletto
Two passengers were ejected, including one who was struck by oncoming traffic. Those two, along with the driver died at the scene. A fourth passenger died later at an area hospital. Four other players in the vehicle were transported to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

The Associated Press has confirmed that the driver was 17-year-old Casey Brenner. Edgar Bozzi, Dean Khoury, and Nick Conner were the other three killed. No one in the SUV was over the age of 17.

Grief counselors were made available for any teenagers affected by the tragedy, and a candlelight vigil took place at the school's football field earlier this evening.

Photo by: Robert Stolarik
It is unknown when the Mainland football team will return to practice. The two scrimmages that were scheduled for the upcoming week have been cancelled.

6 comments:

  1. Jeremy LeMayAugust 21, 2011 at 11:27 PM

    I actually heard that other members of the football team were driving behind the SUV at the time of the accident and saw the whole thing happen. Awful, awful accident. My prayers go out to the families.

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  2. AnonymousAugust 22, 2011 at 2:32 PM

    This is so sad. I don't understand why that many kids 17 and under were in a car with no adults at all. I would never let my 16 year old drive a car full of other kids around.

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  3. TiffanyAugust 22, 2011 at 3:39 PM

    I'm fairly certain there's a law that restricts drivers under the age of 18 from driving more than one minor around at a time. The parents of the driver may very well be held responsible for this.

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  4. Brian HarringtonAugust 22, 2011 at 3:42 PM

    And actually, as an addendum, New Jersey had a graduated licensing program. Being only 17, the driver was, legally, only allowed to have one other passenger in the vehicle with him without an adult.

    Also, I have a bad feeling that speed is going to end up being a mitigating factor in this accident. Due to how quick they came up on the traffic and that it rolled as violently as it did.

    Given all this, it's still a horrible thing to have happen. My prayers go out to that entire community.

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  5. Kris FletcherAugust 22, 2011 at 5:12 PM

    I believe it was a Ford Explorer they were riding in, which is NOT big enough to accommodate EIGHT people in the first place. So really, it's a miracle the entire carload wasn't killed.

    I have to put a lot of the blame on all the parents of the kids involved. Key word there, KIDS. Kids have no business carting other kids around. They're just not responsible enough. It's not JUST the parents of the drivers fault, but the passengers as well. They should have put the veto to the whole idea of their child riding with a carload of other kids somewhere in the first place.

    Having said all that, it's a horrible tragedy, and my heart goes out to the families

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  6. Rick TyneAugust 22, 2011 at 6:36 PM

    I'd be willing to bet the kid was speeding in an attempt to showoff in front of the other kids in the car. Young drivers have no idea the of the dangers involved with driving. Very sad.

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