HUNTINGTON – Gateway Superintendent David B. Hopson sent a message to parents and subscribers of the Gateway newsletter on Tuesday, alerting them to the tragic death of a middle school student over the weekend.
“The Gateway Regional School District staff were saddened to learn about the accidental death of one of our middle school students over the weekend. Our sincere condolences and prayers go out to the family. A second middle school student was involved in the accident, and thankfully has been treated and released from the hospital. Details of the incident are not available, nor have services been arranged at this time. Staff were informed by building administrators in each of our schools this morning and counseling staff have been deployed to support students and staff. As soon as additional information becomes available, and in accordance with the family’s wishes, we will share. We sincerely hope that the family and our staff are afforded the privacy to process and grieve this tragic loss,” Hopson wrote.
Katie Gronendyke, press secretary for the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs released the following statement on behalf of the Environmental Police, which has jurisdiction over accidents involving all-terrain vehicles.
“On Sunday, September 23, 3018, Environmental Police were notified at 1:48pm of an accident involving a Utility Vehicle (UTV) that resulted in injury on Sampson Road in Huntington. Environmental Police, State Police, Huntington Police, Huntington Fire, and EMS responded to the scene. Both the operator and passenger of the vehicle, two juvenile males, were taken to separate hospitals. One victim was fatally injured and one victim received minor injuries,” wrote Gronendyke.
The statement went on to say that Environmental Police are currently conducting a joint investigation of the incident with the State Police and the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.
