Family, school in mourning after 16-year-old killed in Raleigh crash
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Family members and classmates of a 16-year-old Knightdale High School student killed in an accident involving a City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department vehicle Wednesday morning are mourning his loss.
Edward Tyler Eason died when his car collided head-on with the truck just before 7:45 a.m. on Forestville Road near Old Milburnie Road in Raleigh.
Eason was a junior at Knighdale High School.
Thursday morning, the school honored him with a vigil near the baseball field. Students told ABC11 Eason's aunt and grandmother both attended. About 150 students were in attendance.
Eason's grandmother told ABC11 Wednesday that she last saw her grandson alive before he headed off to school that morning.
"I said, 'I love you Tyler,' he said, 'I love you, Grandma,'" Hettie Eason said.
When news of the 16-year-old's death reached his classmates, they started flooding social media with condolences. It was a small comfort to his family trying to understand why.
"He was doing great in school," his mother Debra Eason said. "My baby was going to be everything! He didn't cuss! He didn't smoke! He didn't do drugs! None of that!"
"Everyone was sad, and it was kind of a quiet, mopey day," said senior Nysia Covington.
Word of the accident spread quickly to school faculty. Knightdale High graduate Teressa Whitley was on campus at the time helping seniors fill out college applications.
"It gave me a feeling of sadness knowing that one of our fellow students passed away," she said.
The person in the Raleigh vehicle, Michael Worner, was taken to WakeMed with non-life threatening injuries. He was treated and released, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Neither vehicle had any passengers.
North Carolina State Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Jeff Gordon told ABC11 that Eason was traveling 10 miles over the speed limit when his Suzuki crossed the center line into the path of the truck. He said there will be no charges filed.
Students wrote messages and left flowers in Eason's parking space Wednesday afternoon.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with funeral expenses. CLICK HERE FOR MORE
