ST. JOHNS, Fla. – Several neighborhood residents alerted News4JAX that a memorial for a 12-year-old student who was killed in a dirtbike crash outside Patriot Oaks Academy in February might have been vandalized.
We took their concerns to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, which confirmed that deputies had been notified about the complaint. The Sheriff’s Office said that it’s believed someone removed items from the memorial on Tuesday.
The memorial, which began in February after the deadly crash, featured dozens of flowers and signs bearing messages for the 12-year-old.
Deputies investigated but were not able to identify the person who took the items, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The St. Johns County School District confirmed that the memorial was on public property, not school property, and referred News4JAX to the Sheriff’s Office.
The boy, who was never identified publicly, was hit outside of the school in the crosswalk while on a 99C gas-powered mini dirtbike around 3 p.m. on Feb. 17, shortly after school let out. He was wearing a helmet; he died at the hospital.
The school held a celebration of life for the 12-year-old a couple of weeks after the deadly crash.
Joey Sullivan, a good friend of the 12-year-old, told News4JAX that he will never forget the boy’s kindness and compassion.
“He had the biggest smile on his face,” Sullivan said. “He was always there for other people that were upset. He would lift them high.”
According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the 17-year-old driver involved in the crash will not face any criminal charges.
The sheriff’s office said the driver was not driving recklessly, nor was speed or impairment a factor. Investigators said the timing of the motorcycle’s entry into the lane gave the Infinity driver little time to avoid the crash.
Safety changes
Crosswalk signals were later installed near Patriot Oaks Academy.
The signals will require pedestrians to press a button to activate flashing lights, signaling to drivers that someone is attempting to cross.
District 1 Commissioner Christian Whitehurst said the beacons are a step in the right direction, but emphasized that children must also remain alert.
“Children need to use it judiciously,” he said. “They need to make sure that they’re paying attention as much when they use the beacon as they did when there was not a beacon.”