High School Junior Dies After Jumping from Moving Car, Authorities Say
NEED TO KNOW
- A young man has died after he died after jumping from a moving vehicle in New Hampshire
- The victim has been identified by school officials as a junior at Bedford High School
- Police said the victim was a passenger in the vehicle he jumped from
A New Hampshire high school student has died after jumping from a moving vehicle.
Police responded to the area of Wallace Road and Stagecoach Lane in Bedford at about 8:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 8, according to a statement from Chief Daniel Douidi of the Bedford Police Department (BPD).
Douidi said authorities had received “reports that a male had jumped out of a moving vehicle” prior to their response.
The victim was subsequently “transported to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead,” according to the police chief.
The victim “was later determined to be a passenger” in the vehicle from which he was said to have jumped out of. It wasn’t immediately clear what led to the incident or his cause and manner of death.
In a letter to the community, Bedford High School principal Robert Josokos said the victim was a student at the school, according to ABC affiliate WMUR-TV.
Bedford School District Superintendent Michael Fournier said the student was a junior who “made a great impression on staff and students, a lot of friends,” WMUR-TV reported.
Fournier said “a number of students” knew the victim and were excused from their finals. “When you walk through the hallways, the teachers and the staff are just, sad.” he added.
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Fournier said, “Our hearts go out to the student’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. As a valued member of our school community, his loss is deeply felt by all.
He added, “We are providing support services to our students and staff, and we ask for privacy and compassion as we navigate this profound grief.”
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A memorial has formed at the site of the accident, as seen in images from WMUR and The New Hampshire Union Leader.
“He was the light of every room he was in,” a classmate told the Union Leader. “There wasn’t a single person he wasn’t friends with.”
An investigation into the incident “is active and ongoing,” according to the Bedford police chief.
Anyone “who may have observed anything on Wallace Road leading up to this incident” is asked to contact the BPD at (603) 472-5113.
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