OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The Crapo family is mourning the loss of 13-year-old Ezekial Crapo after he was struck and killed by a vehicle, while trying to run across Interstate 35 just south of 75th street in Overland Park Saturday night.
Ezekial’s father Daniel Crapo said his son and his friends were trying to get to Walmart on the other side of the highway.
“They were trying to get across the street,” Crapo said. “Ezekial was not actually in the street. He was on the side. One of the other kids jumped out and a truck swerved to miss him and hit Ezekial on the side.”
The driver who hit the boy stopped his vehicle and called police. Crapo told FOX 4 News that receiving the news of the accident was the worst moment of his life.
“Since then it’s just been hell on wheels,” he said. “I haven’t slept yet. It’s horrible.”
Ezekial would have been a freshman at Shawnee Mission West High School this fall.
“He was a spark,” Crapo said. “He did plays, theatre, was highly involved in football, wrestling. He always wanted to keep up with his physical aspect, but he always had time for other people.”
For both Ezekial’s family and his close friends, the accident has served as a wake-up call.
“I’ll be more diligent in teaching the kids to stay off the street,” said Jeremy Sieving, a neighbor.
Ezekial’s family knows it will take time to pick up the pieces, but that there’s no forgetting all the wonderful memories made over the past 13 years.
“He was too big of an influence on us,” Crapo said. “There’s no getting past it. You just got to live with it and that’s what were trying to do now, just learn to live with it.”
The driver of the truck who hit the teenager was not at fault and will not be charged.
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Teen struck, killed trying to cross I-35
