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Post by Marc LeVine on Jan 10, 2007 17:13:45 GMT -5
Four teens dead in Freehold, NJ accidentStudents believed to be involved
(New York - WABC, , 2007) - Students from the Freehold Regional High School District were involved in a deadly car accident on Kozloski Road Wednesday, officials said.
Police tell Eyewitness News four teens were killed in the accident that reportedly happened shortly after 2 p.m.
Officials say grief counseling will be available for students, staff and families in the community on Thursday.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office's Serious Collision Analysis Reponse Team is on the scene.
Kozloski Road is closed between Dutch Lane and Route 537 as police investigate.
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Post by Xenios Zeus on Jan 11, 2007 10:41:18 GMT -5
So very sad. Four people, including three Freehold High School students, were killed this afternoon in a two-car crash in Freehold Township. Two of the students are believed to be members of the high school football team. The accident occurred around 2 p.m. when a Cadillac CTS driven by high school senior Michael Dragonetti, 17, collided head-on with a school transport minivan driven by Ruth MacArthur, 68, of the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge. Two passengers in the Cadillac, James Warnock, 18, and Andrew Lundy, 16, also were killed, Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin said. A 13-year-old boy in the minvan was injured and taken to a local hospital. At an evening press conferencer, Valentin said the accident remains under investigation and he would not discuss a possible cause. The crash occurred at Kozloski and Dutch Lane roads in Freehold Township, about a mile from the high school on Route 79 at Robertsville Road in Freehold Borough. “It’s a shock to all of us,” said Ilse Whisner, a public information officer for the Freehold Regional High School District. “We’re stunned and we’re trying to do the best we can to provide the support our community and students need. “The principal is already making arrangements to have grief counselors in place tomorrow morning,” Whisner said. “As school opens tomorrow morning, we will have all of our staff in place.” Freehold High School, with about 1,400 students, is the oldest of six schools in the regional district, which covers eight Monmouth County towns. Contributed by Rudy Larini www.nj.com/newslogs/starledger/index.ssf?/mtlogs/njo_ledgerupdate/archives/2007_01.html#223909 |
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Post by Marc LeVine on Jan 11, 2007 11:00:13 GMT -5
One student, James Warnock, is the nephew of Vicki Warnock, our school nurse over at FLS. Vicky also serves on our BOH.
Yes, very sad.
Marc
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Post by admin on Jan 16, 2007 19:53:52 GMT -5
Watching all the news coverage since the accident has been very heart breaking. No body should ever have to bury their child. The loss of the van driver, Ruth MaCarthur, is also horrible.
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Post by Marc LeVine on Jan 26, 2007 14:14:19 GMT -5
NY Newsday
Fatal crash fuels debate on whether teens should drive to school
By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press Writer
January 26, 2007, 12:53 PM EST
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Jaye Sims was about five minutes behind the group of three high school seniors who had piled into the brand new Cadillac on their way home from school. Easing his own car down the road, he came upon the flaming wreckage of what moments earlier had been the students' vehicle.
"I don't think I've ever seen anything like that," said Sims, a Freehold Borough councilman and firefighter. "I don't think I can ever get that image out of my mind."
The Jan. 10 crash that killed three students and a 68-year-old school van driver has caused many to rethink what has become a fundamental rite of passage for high school seniors across the country: Kissing the school bus goodbye in favor of the much cooler option of taking one's own car to and from school.
Many educators and safety experts say 17-year-olds are more easily distracted, particularly with friends aboard. But teens say they should not be kept from doing something they're legally allowed to do.
Khaseem Greene, a 17-year-old senior at Elizabeth High School, relishes the freedom that driving his own car to and from school gives him.
"You can move when you want to move," he said. "You don't have to wait for anybody."
Two days before the crash that killed the three students from the same high school that Bruce Springsteen attended, school officials talked about discouraging students from driving to school.
Superintendent of Schools James Wasser said the informal chat with Freehold Regional Board of Education members about restricting or ending parking privileges for seniors seemed innocuous at the time. Now, it looks like an ominous premonition.
"These roads are not conducive to new drivers driving high performance cars made of plastic," he said. "It's an accident waiting to happen."
The crash instantly killed Michael Dragonetti, 17, a senior and captain of the school's football team, who was driving a Cadillac CTC his parents had given him as a reward for good grades; his front seat passenger, James Warnock, 17, also a senior; and a back seat passenger, Andrew Lundy, 16.
Also killed was a 68-year-old school transport worker, Ruth A. MacArthur, who was driving a Dodge minivan. Authorities say excessive speed played a role in the crash, but have not yet assigned responsibility for it.
Discussing a new Ad Council campaign to get teens to speak up when they are in a car with friends and don't feel safe, many safety experts said it is unrealistic to expect teens not to drive to school, which accounts for most of the time teen drivers spend on the road. They cited the numerous distractions that teens face.
"Teens think they can text message, carry on a conversation, listen to music and drive, all at the same time," said Penny Wells, executive director of Students Against Destructive Decisions. "This can frequently be a recipe for disaster."
The Freehold Regional school board is considering restricting the on-site parking spaces it issues to seniors after executing a written responsibility contract with them. But the board realizes that is the only leverage it has over them.
Banning on-site parking would just chase students who drive onto local streets, potentially annoying neighbors and endangering themselves by having to walk across streets and pull out into traffic from behind other parked cars, Wasser said.
School officials realize that some students need cars to get to after-school jobs. But many feel the teens' lack of experience behind the wheel is a real danger.
"If your kid took six piano lessons, would you expect him or her to be in a concert?" asked Freehold Regional board member Bunny Hammer. "That's what we're doing with cars."
A big part of the debate centers on restrictions placed on new drivers under a so-called graduated license. Among other things, it limits them to driving during daylight hours, and generally says that no more than one non-family member can be a passenger.
The three Freehold teens killed in the crash were violating that provision, which New Jersey law enforcement officials admit is unevenly enforced. There is widespread disagreement over whether such a violation should be considered a primary offense _ something a police officer can pull a car over for _ or a secondary offense that can only be ticketed if the driver had been doing something else wrong.
But study after study has shown that teen drivers are more easily distracted than more mature motorists _ particularly with friends aboard. A report released Thursday by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance Co. found that having one teenage passenger with a teen driver doubles the risk of a fatal crash, while the risk is five times higher when two or more teens ride along.
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Post by MISUNDERSTOOD on Jan 26, 2007 15:31:41 GMT -5
I DON'T WANT THIS TO COME OUT THE WRONG WAY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS WAS A TREMENDOUS TRAGEDY, AND THE LOSSES ARE IMMENSE AND TOO MUCH TO FULLY REALIZE...BUT I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING...
THE CADILLAC SHOULD BE PLACED IN FRONT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, AS HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE AS A REMINDER OF DRUNKEN DRIVING, BUT THIS TIME AS A REMINDER THAT RECKLESS DRIVING CAN LEAD TO UNIMAGINABLE, BUT VERY REAL RESULTS.
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Post by admin on Jan 26, 2007 17:04:02 GMT -5
Misunderstood, I bet we all sympothize with what you mean. I know your point is valid. My opinion about putting the car or the van in front of the schools is that people, who knew the four victims would have to stare at the vehicle they died in. I would say that we are all still in a state of mourning, not ready for that. Please do not take that as a dismissal of your valid concerns. There will be a time when such reminders are necessary. How about a field trip through the county to all of the road side memorials where people died prematurely. It could be a valuable part of drivers ed. And you do not have to use all CAPS to get your point across. Your opinion is all we need.  |
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Post by Marc LeVine on Feb 8, 2007 19:42:40 GMT -5
Boy, they kept this investigation quiet...
Teen charged in relation to fatal Freehold accidentIssued summonses for speeding, reckless driving
(Freehold - WABC, February 8, 2007) - A 17-year-old Freehold student was charged with motor vehicle violations for his actions prior to the fiery crash that killed four people, three of whom were classmates.
Police say William Brennessel was issued motor vehicle summonses charging reckless driving, speeding and a violation of the requirements of his provisional license for his actions just prior to the crash.
Freehold High School students Michael Dragonetti, James Warnock and Andrew Lundy died in the crash, along with 68-year-old Ruth MacArthur. Police say Dragonetti lost control of his car and slammed into MacArthur's vehicle. A 14-year-old student passenger in MacArthur's vehicle survived the crash.
Investigators say Brennessel pulled his Volvo S40 out of the high school parking lot southbound onto Kozloski Road directly ahead of Dragonetti's Cadillac CTS. Brennessel allegedly accelerated his vehicle as it approached Dutch Lane Road, and police say Dragonetti pulled into a different lane to pass him. As the two teens sped towards the intersection, police estimate Brennessel was traveling in excess of 70 miles per hour and Dragonetti even faster. The posted speed limit is 50 miles per hour.
Moments later, as the vehicles crossed over Duth Land Road and entered a sweeping right curve down a hill, Dragonetti reportedly lost control of his car and entered the northbound lanes and struck MacArthur's Dodge Caravan.
Police say the investigation revealed that Brennessel's vehicle was not directly involved in the collision, but did sustain damage from the debris. Neither Brennessel, nor his three female passengers, were injured.
Investigators say there was insufficient evidence to support charging Brennessel with any act of delinquency, such as vehicular homicide. While the evidence demonstrates both Dragonetti and Brennessel were speeding, officials say, there is not enough evidence to prove they were racing.
If found guilty on all charges, Brennessel faces a maximum $500 fine and up to 75 days in a suitable juvenile institution, along with loss of provisional license and postponement of eligibility for his basic driver's license.
He is due back in court February 21.
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Post by Devils Advocate on Feb 9, 2007 7:42:28 GMT -5
Boy, they kept this investigation quiet... Teen charged in relation to fatal Freehold accidentIssued summonses for speeding, reckless driving (Freehold - WABC, February 8, 2007) - A 17-year-old Freehold student was charged with motor vehicle violations for his actions prior to the fiery crash that killed four people, three of whom were classmates. Police say William Brennessel was issued motor vehicle summonses charging reckless driving, speeding and a violation of the requirements of his provisional license for his actions just prior to the crash. Freehold High School students Michael Dragonetti, James Warnock and Andrew Lundy died in the crash, along with 68-year-old Ruth MacArthur. Police say Dragonetti lost control of his car and slammed into MacArthur's vehicle. A 14-year-old student passenger in MacArthur's vehicle survived the crash. Investigators say Brennessel pulled his Volvo S40 out of the high school parking lot southbound onto Kozloski Road directly ahead of Dragonetti's Cadillac CTS. Brennessel allegedly accelerated his vehicle as it approached Dutch Lane Road, and police say Dragonetti pulled into a different lane to pass him. As the two teens sped towards the intersection, police estimate Brennessel was traveling in excess of 70 miles per hour and Dragonetti even faster. The posted speed limit is 50 miles per hour. Moments later, as the vehicles crossed over Duth Land Road and entered a sweeping right curve down a hill, Dragonetti reportedly lost control of his car and entered the northbound lanes and struck MacArthur's Dodge Caravan. Police say the investigation revealed that Brennessel's vehicle was not directly involved in the collision, but did sustain damage from the debris. Neither Brennessel, nor his three female passengers, were injured. Investigators say there was insufficient evidence to support charging Brennessel with any act of delinquency, such as vehicular homicide. While the evidence demonstrates both Dragonetti and Brennessel were speeding, officials say, there is not enough evidence to prove they were racing. If found guilty on all charges, Brennessel faces a maximum $500 fine and up to 75 days in a suitable juvenile institution, along with loss of provisional license and postponement of eligibility for his basic driver's license. He is due back in court February 21. Of course they kept it quiet...there is always this sense of "we have to protect the children from the truth" rather than mourn the loss of those who died, but use it as a firm lesson to tell those young adults (they are high school students, not elementary students) that their foolish games and carefree attitudes could result in some very, VERY severe consequences. As "misunderstood" said earlier, at the very least, that car should be placed on the front lawn on the high school as a shocking reminder to those students, of the results of the foolish actions by their fellow students. Don't misunderstand me either, I too believe that this is a terrible tragedy, but let's be honest, it's one that could have easily been avoided if those involved acted more responsibly. I know there are still those who will continue to say, "they're just kids"...well...are they??? If they are "just kids" maybe we should re-evaluate the laws that let them drive at such an early age. I know that the memory of this accident will be in their minds for some time, but as history has shown, it doesn't take long for people to start to forget. Having to walk by that burnt wreck of a car everyday when they go to school will help keep that memory fresh in their minds, and hopefully make them think twice when they are in a similar situation. |
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Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Feb 9, 2007 11:14:59 GMT -5
"If found guilty on all charges, Brennessel faces a maximum $500 fine and up to 75 days in a suitable juvenile institution, along with loss of provisional license and postponement of eligibility for his basic driver's license. "
If this kid is a "Normal" kid to begin with ...he is now screwed up, and scared for life, and is more than likely (or should be) "On the Couch" at lease once a day, for a very long time.
An appropriate punishment would be copious amounts of community service, and maybe as a result of this tragedy, this young man dedicate his life mission (I remember when I was 18...I had no life mission, unlike Kane from Kung Fu, who walk the earth...) to help teens, advocate safety, and a SANE life style.
This was a "Drag" race, and if the lanes had been switched.....who knows who'd live, and who’d die!
With out the word "IF"...you cant spell LIFE!! Tough lesson to learn at such an early age, but the lesson is ...you live with he choices you make, and for many reason, some children don't make it passed 18! And for those of us that do, we had have leaned how precious every day is, and how impacting EVERY one of our decisions are!
I lost a friend Jerry @ age 22 on an avoidable motorcycle mishap. He literally needed to be scraped up off 1/4 mile of the BQE! When I was a boy, I knew a kid Scottie, killed @ 7 years old, dragged under a car because he ran out into the middle of the street to chase the Ice Cream Man! And my Cousin Russell died as young teenager at construction site accident, it was a summer job, it was his father’s construction site....
Using the actual vehicle as a reminder at the school is highly inappropriate! The daily void left by these students who died and the grief councilors should be enough...maybe leaving the lockers of these students as a permanent memorial will serve the student body better.
As a Parent, I watch everything my kids do, and I let them know that EVERY careless action can make something brake or someone DIE,. We teach our children about CONSIQUENSIS!!!
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Post by Guest on Feb 10, 2007 0:07:19 GMT -5
In addition to/instead of community service, mandate that these survivors spend some time the next few holidays with the families of those that were lost. Face them in the eye and see the broken hearts of parents and siblings that will never be the same.
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Post by Marc LeVine on Feb 17, 2007 15:38:33 GMT -5
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Post by Marc LeVine on Feb 17, 2007 15:39:40 GMT -5
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