14-year-old hit, killed crossing Highway 55 in Holly Springs identified
HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. (WTVD) -- A 14-year-old was hit and killed on Highway 55 North and near Somerset Farm Drive, Holly Springs Police said Wednesday evening.
Scout Undercoffer, an eighth-grader at Holly Grove Middle School, died in the accident.
"This is a tragic loss," said Holly Grove Principal Janiece Dilts in an email to parents. "Scout was a wonderful person and will be greatly missed by the students and staff here at Holly Grove Middle School. Our thoughts are with the family and friends during this tragedy."
The incident happened about 5 p.m.
Roads were closed for a few hours while police investigated.
As of 7:30 p.m., Highway 55 was opened back up.
Police said Thursday that they don't anticipate that charges will be filed in the case.
"It's devastating because I always warn my son about this road and going across the street to the gas station or McDonalds is just dangerous," said Erika Kiesenhofer, who has lived in Somerset Farms for 13 years. "I tell him never go past this sidewalk and go on 55, it's 55 mph and people are going 60 if not more. There's no crosswalks. There's nothing so it's just an accident waiting to happen."
Lisa Hitesman, who also lives in the area, agrees.
"There's Game Stop, there's Walmart, there's McDonald's, there's places to eat and hang out. And there's the high school right over here. And...there's no way to cross this road," she said.
Gabriel Hitesman, Scout's friend, said he had crossed the road with Scout in that area before.
"We tried to kind of wait for the biggest gaps that we could find but there's no crosswalks anywhere," he said.
Holly Grove Middle School Principal Jniece Dilts sent the following message to parents after learning of Undercoffer's death:
"I am so sorry to be sending this message to you through email, but I wanted to share this information in case you would choose to share it with your child while he or she is tracked out. I was informed late last night that we lost Scout Undercoffer, an 8th grader here at Holly Grove Middle School. Scout died in an auto related accident yesterday afternoon. This is a tragic loss, and I wanted to give you the information as soon as possible so you can support your child. Scout was a wonderful person and will be greatly missed by the students and staff here at Holly Grove Middle School. Our thoughts are with the family and friends during this tragedy.
After a traumatic event such as the death of a student, it is not unusual for students to feel anxious, sad, fearful, angry, or vulnerable. They may be scared of losing someone else close to them. Through encouraging discussion, being supportive of feelings, providing factual information and suggesting positive outlets, you can help your child be aware of and process his or her emotions. Every child is different, and the emotional response may vary in duration. A team of counselors, psychologists, and social workers are available at school to support students as needed.
This morning we shared the loss with the students and held a moment of silence to recognize Scout and the family.
If you need additional support or are concerned for your student, please contact student services at 919-567-4177 extension 20486."
The incident remains under investigation.
