Three others injured in wreck
By: Jack Baney
A 12-year-old Hillsborough boy was killed Sunday in an accident on the Garden State Parkway that left three others injured, including the victim’s 18-year-old brother.
Karl Delos Santos, a fifth-grader at Hillsborough Elementary School, was
pronounced dead at the scene at 6 a.m. Sunday after the 1998 Nissan Pathfinder he was riding in struck trees on the median of the Parkway, overturned and caught fire, said State Police.
Killian Delos Santos, Karl’s brother and the driver, suffered head trauma and a fractured hip in the accident, which occurred in Eagle Wood Township. He was listed in critical condition Monday afternoon at Atlantic City Medical Center. Killian is a senior at Hillsborough High School.
Members of the Santos family could not be reached for comment Monday.
Passenger Jeff Fuentes, 16, of Bergenfield, suffered head trauma and also
was listed in critical condition after the accident. He was taken to the
Cooper Hospital University Medical Center in Camden. Officials there
would not release information about his condition Monday afternoon.
Passenger Francis Etorma, 14, of Staten Island, N.Y., suffered facial cuts
and was reported in stable condition after the accident. He was taken to Southern
Ocean County Hospital in Manahawkin, where hospital officials could not
be reached for comment about his condition Monday.
No other vehicles were involved in the accident, which occurred about
4:20 a.m., when the Nissan was traveling north on the Parkway. State
Police were continuing to investigate why the Nissan traveled onto the median.
Edward Forsthoffer, principal of Hillsborough Elementary School,
described Karl as a "vivacious, very energetic" and popular boy.
"He certainly had a large contingent of friends," said Mr. Forsthoffer.
"He was very happy and well-liked by his peers."
Teachers at the elementary school discussed Karl’s death with their
students on Monday, and two additional guidance counselors were brought to the school to meet with students, he said.
"They’re all very upset by it, but not so much that they’re not able to
remain and have discussions about it," said Mr. Forsthoffer.
Hillsborough High School Principal Anthony Radano described Killian as a
"happy-go-lucky, very positive, upbeat young man who’s always smiling."
The high school observed a moment of silence Monday for students to think
or pray for Killian.
Killian has served as a guidance aide, a member of the principal advisory
committee and a peer mentor at the school, said high school Guidance Counselor Athea Williams. He plans to attend Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire and become a physician, she said.
"He’s really a godsend — that’s all I can say," said Ms. Williams. "He
always cares about everyone else and worries about everyone else."
"This is just heartbreaking — I find it difficult to even talk about," she
added. "I just pray that God will give him the strength to work through all of this."