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I lost a good friend of mine last Friday to a car accident during lunch time. I want to share this story with ya'll because I feel that he, like us, cared deeply for his car, and was truly, car crazy. It was suspected that street racing was involved, but from several eye-witness accounts it seems as if he was the victim of a wreckless driver. I want to share his story because I want to discourage anyone here from street-racing, or in general, wreckless driving. If his story saves one life, then it has worked.
I'll post the news link if anyone wants to read further into the story, but he was bumped on the rear bumper by a speeding Cobra that had sped up to his blind spot. He was speeding, going about 60-70, and was sent into a spin, he quickly lost control of his Eclipse, and hit a telephone pole.
He loved his car, and everything about cars. He had a myspace dedicated to his car alone, and in Auto Body Class, he spent countless days working on his ride. The most saddending part of the entire story is that he was supposed to go to Highschool Homecomming this weekend. I believe the most errie part to this story is on his myspace he has a survey. In it, there is a question that asks how he wished he would die, his answer was, "In a car crash, or bitten by a snake." He was rear-ended and sent into the spin, by the Cobra, and I'm sure some of you have figured out last friday was the 13th.
I hope this makes at least one person think twice before speeding, or street-racing. If you want to race, take it to a track, play it safe. God bless.
Mark Tu 02/04/1989-10/13/2006 Only 17.
Here's the news story, and a picture of the scene.
If anyone is wondering, his friend was OK, he's making a recovery in the hospital. Here's a news team picture of the accident.
I'll post the news link if anyone wants to read further into the story, but he was bumped on the rear bumper by a speeding Cobra that had sped up to his blind spot. He was speeding, going about 60-70, and was sent into a spin, he quickly lost control of his Eclipse, and hit a telephone pole.
He loved his car, and everything about cars. He had a myspace dedicated to his car alone, and in Auto Body Class, he spent countless days working on his ride. The most saddending part of the entire story is that he was supposed to go to Highschool Homecomming this weekend. I believe the most errie part to this story is on his myspace he has a survey. In it, there is a question that asks how he wished he would die, his answer was, "In a car crash, or bitten by a snake." He was rear-ended and sent into the spin, by the Cobra, and I'm sure some of you have figured out last friday was the 13th.
I hope this makes at least one person think twice before speeding, or street-racing. If you want to race, take it to a track, play it safe. God bless.
Mark Tu 02/04/1989-10/13/2006 Only 17.
Here's the news story, and a picture of the scene.
PLANO – Mark Tu died Friday inside the prized red car he called Foxy Roxy.
His 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse wrapped around a utility pole moments after leaving Plano Senior High School for CiCi's Pizza at lunchtime.
Mark, a 17-year-old senior, was dead when police and paramedics arrived. A friend in the car was taken to Medical Center of Plano. The second teen's name was not released. Police said he was alert and talking at the hospital.
Mark and the driver of a black Ford Mustang were speeding when they came upon a third car driving the speed limit, police said.
Plano police spokesman Rick McDonald said investigators believe Mark's car collided with the Mustang and the third car before spinning into the pole.
Police said Mark and his passenger were not wearing seat belts.
No charges had been filed, and police were still investigating. The Mustang was driven by another student, who was not injured. The adult driver of the third car also was unhurt.
Plano police said they were uncertain whether racing was a factor in the Plano accident. Racing is common along that strip of Park Boulevard near Woodburn Corners, just down the street from Plano Senior High, they said.
The impact of the accident pushed the utility pole to lean at nearly a 45-degree angle. About 40 to 50 students stopped at the accident scene during lunchtime. They hugged one another and talked about the crash, which many students had witnessed. Several called their parents and friends to tell them who died.
A number of classmates witnessed the accident.
Nathan Cory, 17, and Bryan Barrett, 18, who are also students at Plano Senior High, said they were driving behind Mark's car before the accident and ran up to try to help afterward.
They said they heard the passenger screaming. He was trapped in the crushed car, and they were unable to move him.
"We really couldn't do anything," Bryan said.
Open campus policies
Plano's three senior high schools enroll juniors and seniors. They are all open campuses, meaning students can leave school grounds for lunch. At least a few other area districts, including Highland Park, Arlington and Fort Worth, have open campus policies that allow at least some of their high school students to leave at lunch.
Fort Worth school district Superintendent Melody Johnson has said she wants a districtwide review of the open campus policy there after a 15-year-old boy was injured in a lunchtime shooting last month at South Hills High School. Last year, a Dunbar High School football player died in a lunchtime car accident.
News of the accident in Plano spread quickly through the school.
"When students began returning from lunch and learning about the tragic accident, the teachers allowed them to go visit the counselors if they needed to," Plano schools spokeswoman Nancy Long said.
She said some students chose to leave school after they heard, and their parents were notified.
Senior Alex Rojas, who had known Mark since they attended Wilson Middle School together, was also on his way to CiCi's.
"It was hard having to witness that," he said. "It was tough."
Alex went back to school, signed himself out and left. He said people were talking in school hallways about the accident, some crying.
Mourning their friend
Mark's best friends said he was a fun-loving teen who loved his car.
Sean Garza and Catherine Samuels, both 16 and juniors at Plano Senior High, said the three of them were inseparable.
"We were a trio," Sean said. "We hung out every weekend, every day. He was an amazing person."
Mark worked at Planet Burrito and saved most of what he made to pump up Foxy Roxy. Sean said Mark had been saving for new tire rims.
Catherine's father, Barry Samuels, said Mark was a good friend to their family. The teen often came to their house after he left work.
"We will remember Mark for his kind and calm demeanor," Mr. Samuels said. "We really like and enjoyed Mark and are very, very sad."
Mark's Web page on MySpace .com shows pictures of his car. Photos document the work he put into it. He wrote "Racing= My life" and "I love my friends!!!!" on the site.
Mark wrote that he was into the rock band Blink 182. He preferred Pepsi to Coke. He was right-handed, and his weakness was love.
Friends began leaving messages Friday afternoon on his Web site.
"You'll always be on my mind and in my heart," one girl wrote. "Watch me from heaven! I love you times a billion."
His 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse wrapped around a utility pole moments after leaving Plano Senior High School for CiCi's Pizza at lunchtime.
Mark, a 17-year-old senior, was dead when police and paramedics arrived. A friend in the car was taken to Medical Center of Plano. The second teen's name was not released. Police said he was alert and talking at the hospital.
Mark and the driver of a black Ford Mustang were speeding when they came upon a third car driving the speed limit, police said.
Plano police spokesman Rick McDonald said investigators believe Mark's car collided with the Mustang and the third car before spinning into the pole.
Police said Mark and his passenger were not wearing seat belts.
No charges had been filed, and police were still investigating. The Mustang was driven by another student, who was not injured. The adult driver of the third car also was unhurt.
Plano police said they were uncertain whether racing was a factor in the Plano accident. Racing is common along that strip of Park Boulevard near Woodburn Corners, just down the street from Plano Senior High, they said.
The impact of the accident pushed the utility pole to lean at nearly a 45-degree angle. About 40 to 50 students stopped at the accident scene during lunchtime. They hugged one another and talked about the crash, which many students had witnessed. Several called their parents and friends to tell them who died.
A number of classmates witnessed the accident.
Nathan Cory, 17, and Bryan Barrett, 18, who are also students at Plano Senior High, said they were driving behind Mark's car before the accident and ran up to try to help afterward.
They said they heard the passenger screaming. He was trapped in the crushed car, and they were unable to move him.
"We really couldn't do anything," Bryan said.
Open campus policies
Plano's three senior high schools enroll juniors and seniors. They are all open campuses, meaning students can leave school grounds for lunch. At least a few other area districts, including Highland Park, Arlington and Fort Worth, have open campus policies that allow at least some of their high school students to leave at lunch.
Fort Worth school district Superintendent Melody Johnson has said she wants a districtwide review of the open campus policy there after a 15-year-old boy was injured in a lunchtime shooting last month at South Hills High School. Last year, a Dunbar High School football player died in a lunchtime car accident.
News of the accident in Plano spread quickly through the school.
"When students began returning from lunch and learning about the tragic accident, the teachers allowed them to go visit the counselors if they needed to," Plano schools spokeswoman Nancy Long said.
She said some students chose to leave school after they heard, and their parents were notified.
Senior Alex Rojas, who had known Mark since they attended Wilson Middle School together, was also on his way to CiCi's.
"It was hard having to witness that," he said. "It was tough."
Alex went back to school, signed himself out and left. He said people were talking in school hallways about the accident, some crying.
Mourning their friend
Mark's best friends said he was a fun-loving teen who loved his car.
Sean Garza and Catherine Samuels, both 16 and juniors at Plano Senior High, said the three of them were inseparable.
"We were a trio," Sean said. "We hung out every weekend, every day. He was an amazing person."
Mark worked at Planet Burrito and saved most of what he made to pump up Foxy Roxy. Sean said Mark had been saving for new tire rims.
Catherine's father, Barry Samuels, said Mark was a good friend to their family. The teen often came to their house after he left work.
"We will remember Mark for his kind and calm demeanor," Mr. Samuels said. "We really like and enjoyed Mark and are very, very sad."
Mark's Web page on MySpace .com shows pictures of his car. Photos document the work he put into it. He wrote "Racing= My life" and "I love my friends!!!!" on the site.
Mark wrote that he was into the rock band Blink 182. He preferred Pepsi to Coke. He was right-handed, and his weakness was love.
Friends began leaving messages Friday afternoon on his Web site.
"You'll always be on my mind and in my heart," one girl wrote. "Watch me from heaven! I love you times a billion."
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