Ohio Teen Boy Dies After Fall From Memorial Day Parade Float
The incident has left the community in mourning and prompted an outpouring of support for the boy's family.
Matthew Schultz, a student at North Canton City Schools, was riding on a dual-axle car hauler trailer sponsored by Air Ninja Gym as part of the parade festivities, according to the Summit County Sheriff's Office's May 26
The trailer, pulled by a Ford F-150 pickup truck, was carrying seven children between the ages of 7 and 13, with an adult walking on either side for supervision. The vehicle was traveling at or below 5 mph and was about 200 feet north of the roundabout at Massillon Road and Steese Road when the accident happened.
Authorities said the boy fell from the front of the trailer and was subsequently struck by the trailer's tires. Green Fire and EMS, who were participating in the parade and were two vehicles behind the trailer, witnessed the accident and responded right away.
He was transported to Akron Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries, the
Related Stories
5/27/2025
5/26/2025
At a
Counselors have been made available at Green High School and for first responders and staff, as well as for anyone in the community who needs support, according to Yeargin.
The Summit Metro Crash Team is assisting the Summit County Sheriff's Office in the ongoing investigation. Massillon Road was closed for approximately two hours Monday as authorities processed the scene, according to the sheriff's office.
A
Speaking on behalf of the Schultz family during the news conference, Schultz family representative Danielle Paciorek said: 'Matthew was just 13 years old, but in that short time, he brought a lifetime worth of joy to those who knew him. He was a bright light fueled curiosity, laughter, and love. He had a passion for Star Wars, and his favorite snack in the world was fruit snacks.
'He was always quick with a smile and a kind word to his friends. He was loyal and funny, the kind of friend who you made for life,' she added. 'Matthew's absence leaves a hole that cannot be filled.'
The Schultz family is asking for privacy at this time as they grieve, Paciorek said.
From
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
15 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Significant spike' in impaired driving includes six Hamilton deaths
Hamilton police are warning about a concerning rise in impaired driving, including three fatal drunk-driving crashes that have killed six people — among them a 10-year-old girl — since June. On Friday, police announced they have laid impaired and dangerous driving charges in one of the fatal collisions — a three-vehicle crash on June 1 on Upper Centennial Parkway that killed two people. A 32-year-old Hamilton man is accused of drunk driving, driving double the 70 kilometre per hour limit, and driving an unsafe vehicle. The 'significant spike' in impaired driving cases includes a 25 per cent increase in May over 2024, and a 53 per cent increase in June compared to the same month last year, said Const. Trevor McKenna. Overall impaired driving offences are up 11 per cent over 2024. So far this year police have laid 369 impaired charges, with 216 people charged, he said. On June 1, shortly after midnight, police were called to a three-vehicle crash on Upper Centennial Parkway between Mud Street East and Green Mountain Road. The investigation revealed two pickup trucks were southbound when one — a 2014 Ford F-150 — hit the other and then crossed into northbound lanes where it struck a 2015 Kia Sorento head-on. The driver and passenger in the car were tragically killed, police said. They were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the F-150 was treated in hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Following an investigation by the collision reconstruction unit, he was arrested Thursday. Nemanja Trivanovic, 32, from Hamilton is charged criminally with two counts of dangerous driving causing death, two counts of impaired driving causing death and two counts of having over 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood causing death. He faces further charges, under the Highway Traffic Act, of stunt driving, speeding 140 km/h in a 70 zone, having defective brakes and operating an unsafe vehicle. The families of the victims are requesting privacy as they grieve, police said in a release Friday. A little over a month after that fatal crash, 30-year-old Julia Smith and her 10-year-old daughter Grace were killed after their car was struck head-on by a pickup truck. Police allege the pickup driver was trying to pass another vehicle on Trinity Church Road on July 6. Grace died at the scene and her mom died in hospital just over a week later. Two men, also in the Honda Civic they were travelling in, were hurt in the crash. McKenna said investigators have identified impaired driving as a factor in the crash. That investigation is ongoing and charges have not yet been laid. Impaired driving was also allegedly behind fiery crash at the top of the Claremont Access that killed two people on June 22 around 3 a.m. In that case, police believe the Chevrolet was southbound on the access, when it left the road, hit the stone wall near Southam Park and caught fire. Both the driver and the passenger were pronounced dead at the scene and no other vehicles were involved. In response to the troubling increase in cases, police are reminding the public there are always alternatives to getting behind the wheel while impaired. These include designating a sober driver, calling a taxi or ride share, and using public transit. 'Plan ahead, your life and others depend on it,' police said. Police say they are also increasing RIDE lanes on the road, and on the water through the marine unit. If you suspect someone is driving impaired, call 911. Nicole O'Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
3 men arrested for posing as Amazon delivery drivers to ransack home: Police
Three men were arrested after posing as Amazon delivery drivers in order to gain entry and ransack a home in Florida, according to the North Port Police Department. The three suspects -- Robert St. Germain, Anton Bradley Brown and Adlet Javon Francis -- are now in custody after being involved in a "targeted armed home invasion" that occurred in May, police announced on Wednesday. Back on May 23 at approximately 1:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of an armed robbery at a residence in North Port, Florida, police said. The investigation revealed that three males "posed as Amazon delivery drivers to lure a young female resident to the door," officials said. When the female opened the door, the men -- who were all armed -- "forced their way inside," stole cash and "ransacked the residence in search of additional valuables," police said. The suspects also "held the daughter and mother inside the home while waiting for the father to return," police said. Once the father returned home at approximately 5 p.m., he "noticed the front door was locked and attempted to enter through the back," officials said. The father was confronted by one of the suspects and a "brief struggle ensued," police said. MORE: Man arrested for allegedly posing as US Marshal during attempted robbery, police say The suspects eventually fled the scene, police said. One of the suspects later found an unoccupied Ford F-150 with the keys inside, stole the truck and "fled the area," police said. The vehicle was recovered later that weekend in a shopping center, police said. After the robbery at the home, crime scene technicians "processed the primary scene and surrounding areas" and recovered evidence like items "believed to have been left by the suspects," police said. Officials believe the robbery was a targeted incident and not a "random act of violence," since the suspects were known to one of the victims. MORE: Robbers posing as cops hold up NYC deli, remain at large: Police Francis was arrested on July 12 on "unrelated charges" and Germain and Brown were arrested on Tuesday, police told ABC News. Their charges include conspiracy to commit home invasion, home invasion, robbery, kidnapping and use of a two-way device to commit a felony, police said. Brown also faces a charge of grand theft auto, police said. Germain is currently being held at the the Indian River County Jail, Brown is held at the Broward County Jail and Francis remains at the Orange County Jail, police told ABC News. North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said the case "demonstrates the relentless commitment of our detectives." "Their tireless work has been instrumental in advancing this investigation and brining those responsible to justice," Garrison said in a statement. It remains unclear whether the suspects have attorneys who can speak on their behalf.
2 days ago
3 men arrested for posing as Amazon delivery drivers to ransack home in Florida: Police
Three men were arrested after posing as Amazon delivery drivers in order to gain entry and ransack a home in Florida, according to the North Port Police Department. The three suspects -- Robert St. Germain, Anton Bradley Brown and Adlet Javon Francis -- are now in custody after being involved in a "targeted armed home invasion" that occurred in May, police announced on Wednesday. Back on May 23 at approximately 1:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of an armed robbery at a residence in North Port, Florida, police said. The investigation revealed that three males "posed as Amazon delivery drivers to lure a young female resident to the door," officials said. When the female opened the door, the men -- who were all armed -- "forced their way inside," stole cash and "ransacked the residence in search of additional valuables," police said. The suspects also "held the daughter and mother inside the home while waiting for the father to return," police said. Once the father returned home at approximately 5 p.m., he "noticed the front door was locked and attempted to enter through the back," officials said. The father was confronted by one of the suspects and a "brief struggle ensued," police said. The suspects eventually fled the scene, police said. One of the suspects later found an unoccupied Ford F-150 with the keys inside, stole the truck and "fled the area," police said. The vehicle was recovered later that weekend in a shopping center, police said. After the robbery at the home, crime scene technicians "processed the primary scene and surrounding areas" and recovered evidence like items "believed to have been left by the suspects," police said. Officials believe the robbery was a targeted incident and not a "random act of violence," since the suspects were known to one of the victims. Francis was arrested on July 12 on "unrelated charges" and Germain and Brown were arrested on Tuesday, police told ABC News. Their charges include conspiracy to commit home invasion, home invasion, robbery, kidnapping and use of a two-way device to commit a felony, police said. Brown also faces a charge of grand theft auto, police said. Germain is currently being held at the the Indian River County Jail, Brown is held at the Broward County Jail and Francis remains at the Orange County Jail, police told ABC News. North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said the case "demonstrates the relentless commitment of our detectives." "Their tireless work has been instrumental in advancing this investigation and brining those responsible to justice," Garrison said in a statement.
