For years, Staples High School seniors have had a non-school-sanctioned Homecoming tradition: a motorcade from Compo Beach to the football game. Students pile into and on top of cars and trucks, hanging out and waving wildly as drivers honk.
There was no Homecoming this year, due to COVID. Seniors resurrected the tradition for today’s boys lacrosse game against Trumbull High School.
A girl reportedly fell out of the back of a truck en route to the school, near the Post Road and North Compo, and was taken to a hospital. There is no word yet on the extent of her injuries.
I called the police when I saw this go by on South Compo. I was told they were “monitoring” the situation.
Hopefully she is OK. This is similar to people hanging off the front of boats, falling off, and then the propeller hitting them. Hanging off motor vehicles or sitting in a manner where you might fall is very dangerous. I get very upset when I see kids hanging off the front of boats, it takes one wave, bump, slip, or quick turn, and someone can lose their life. The operator should have oversight over their passengers at all times.
I’m really sorry to hear this and I hope that what I am hearing is wrong and that the young lady is okay. However I suspect that this is going to get really ugly.
I hope she is feeling better today.
I must have passed the caravan on Cross Highway going in the opposite direction a few minutes after the accident but the cars in front didn’t know what had happened behind them. There were countless students perched on the top of SUV hoods, roofs, and standing on the running boards holding on to the window frames like you’d see on a NYC sanitation truck having a grand time as they drove by. Unfortunately they were not going very slowly and one slip is all it takes. As I passed the scene on North Compo, the police had a sheet up around the scene, which is a very ominous sight. Very sad.
Any update?
Just try to imagine if a group of teenagers of color – maybe from Bridgeport! – decided to hang off of the back of cars screaming obscenities, blasting music, disrupting traffic, putting other people in danger, while some are clearly intoxicated, through about a 10-mile swath of town? And then what would happen if someone was injured in the process? It’s a pretty telling display of the much-hated word: privilege.
I happened to get stuck in this mess yesterday and almost got into an accident being forced to pass students pulled over on a narrow section of Cross Highway. Without knowing, I assumed this was the type of “non-sanctioned” event that clearly is sanctioned because if anyone else did it on any other day, they’d be immediately stopped by the police. Unfortunate though the incident may be, an injury or even a death was inevitable based on what I saw – and everyone who sanctions this “non-sanctioned” activity is at fault.
Seems like an unnecessary connection you’re making there. I don’t think there’s a racial component to this whatsoever.
I agree though that this has always been an accident waiting to happen and tweaks need to be made to ensure safety. That being said its important that we keep Staples traditions going if at all possible.
I think I saw them minutes before the accident. Was at the car wash next to the Toyota dealer and saw a Tacoma going east bound, girls sitting on the lift gate of the pickup. Another dad and I locked eyes and both shook our heads This happens every year, I hear – drivers should get automatic license suspension for this.
I’m shocked this hasn’t happened before. It’s a damn shame that this is allowed to happen year after year. No one wants to say no to their kids.I pray to god she is okay.