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Local Cincinnati high school valedictorian in fatal accident

by | May 23, 2014 | Car Accidents

A 21-year-old man died May 14 when the vehicle he was driving was struck by a truck. His grandfather was in the car with him. The young man was later pronounced dead when he arrived at the hospital, and his 79-year-old grandfather is still listed in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

According to the Fort Thomas Police Department, the accident occurred on the Memorial Parkway in Fort Thomas, Ohio, after the car with the young man and his grandfather was struck by a pickup truck driven by a 19-year-old from Cold Spring, Ohio. The driver of the pickup suffered only minor injuries from the crash and was treated and later released at St. Elizabeth’s hospital. Amazingly, a passenger who had accompanied that young man in the pickup truck was uninjured in the collision.

The principal of Highlands High School, where the decedent was named valedictorian in 2011, spoke highly of the young man and said that his death had affected the entire town. Sadly, the principal said that the young man had planned to be in town only a few days during summer break from college. His loss will also be felt in North Carolina where he had attended Wake Forest University, majoring in both psychology and sociology.

It is unclear what police believe caused the crash, but there was no mention of drugs or alcohol having played a role in the fatal accident.

The loss of any person to an auto accident is always tragic, but that loss is felt more acutely if the accident could have been avoided. While no amount of money could ever assuage the feelings of loss surviving family members might endure, it may comfort them to know that there are legal means available to them to seek compensation for their loss.

Source: Cincinnati.com, “Highlands’ 2011 valedictorian killed in car crash” Keith Biery Golick, May. 15, 2014