DEARBORN HEIGHTS (WWJ) - A 7th grade student riding his bike home from high school football game Friday night is dead after he was hit by a vehicle in Dearborn Heights.
The fatal crash occurred around 11 p.m. in the area of Annapolis and Pardee close to Pardee Elementary School -- the victim was identified through a GoFundMe page as 12-year-old Joey Smith.
"A parent's worst nightmare occurred 10/14/22 after an Annapolis football game in Dearborn Heights," the crowdfunding's organizer, Bianca Grucz, wrote. "12 year old Joey Smith was hit by a car on his bike and tragically succumbed to his injuries. He was the only child to a very proud mother, Katie Smith. Please help this family during this unforeseen and tragic time. No parent should have to bury a child. Let’s come together as a community and take the financial burden off of her."
"Keep this family in your thoughts and prayers," Grucz added.
As of 2 p.m. Saturday, donations soared to $4,430 raised of the page's $10,000 goal.
Dr. Ty Weeks, Superintendent of the Dearborn Heights District 7 Schools, made an announcement on social media late Saturday morning, expressing shock and sadness at the news.
"On Friday evening, one of our seventh grade students was struck by a car as he rode his bike home from the high school football game," Weeks said in the post. "Emergency personnel responded immediately, but the student sustained extensive injuries and died at the hospital."
"We are shocked and saddened by this tragic event," the superintendent's statement continued. "We are activating our district crisis team and will make counselors available to anyone in our school community. Additionally, counselors have been assigned to the middle school to assist the teachers and students."
School officials made available a list of tips to help parents speak to their children about the incident:
• Talk with your child about his/her feelings about the tragedy; share your feelings too
• Talk about what happened; give your child information he/she can understand
• Reassure your child that they are safe; you may need to repeat this reassurance often
• Listen and comfort your child often
Weeks asked for parents to contact the school at 313-203-3200 if further assistance was needed to help their children navigate the tragedy.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family during this time of unimaginable loss and grief," Weeks added,
At this time, law enforcement has not made details surrounding the incident known, but residents and parents expressed outrage over social media.
"People think Pardee Ave. is the a damn drag strip! I’m on my porch screaming at people to slow down everyday," one poster wrote in response to the news.
"They don't stop at stop signs," another user said of drivers in the area. "I stopped taking Annapolis because they just fly all the way down from Southfield to Beech Daly."
Many others expressed frustration that drivers do not observe the speed limits and called for speed bumps near the schools along with better lighting and a heavier police presence during school activities.
"A lot of us posted on the Dearborn Heights community page about drivers speeding and running stop signs .. Now look..," a social media user wrote.
The fatal crash remains under police investigation at this time, but details will be released as they become available, officials said.
Smith's GoFundMe page can be viewed here.