'He was always smiling': Liberty Middle mourns Douglas Zazueta, killed in SW Ocala crash

Students, staff and teachers at Liberty Middle School were grieving on Friday, one day after 13-year-old seventh grader Douglas Zazueta was killed in a traffic crash.

"It's hard. He was in school on Wednesday – and Thursday, he wasn't," said Melissa A. Forsyth, the school's principal, who has been at Liberty for 10 years, including six as principal.

Forsyth said some students didn't find out that Douglas had died until they arrived at school on Friday. Others were upset when they got off the school bus on Friday, she said. Douglas also was a bus rider.

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To assist teachers, students and staff, members of the Marion County Public Schools crisis team were on campus and will be available for "as long as they're needed," Forsyth said.

The turnout among staff and students was overwhelming, she added.

The principal said some of Douglas' teachers were greatly affected by the loss. A tight-knit group of friends who regularly hung out with the teen also were devastated.

"He was always smiling. He was funny, and a jokester," Forsyth said.

"He impacted staff and students. Our hearts and prayers are with the family," she said.

Here's what happened in the fatal crash

Ocala police said Douglas was riding with his mother on a motorcycle along Southwest 20th Street just before 7 a.m. Thursday.

The woman stopped the bike in the roadway because her son had seen a friend across the street.

As he was running across the street, Douglas was struck by an F-150 truck that was pulling a trailer.

Douglas was taken to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and then to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, where he died.

Officers said Friday that their investigation is ongoing.

The boy's death was the 13th traffic fatality of the year within the City of Ocala. At this point last year, the city had 10 traffic deaths. The tally for all of 2021 was 15.

Douglas Zazueta was a boy with an infectious smile

Forsyth said Douglas came to their school from Dunnellon schools. The principal said Douglas' teachers loved his "engaging personality."

Liberty Middle School
Liberty Middle School

"He was productive in the classroom and worked well with groups," she said.

She said several students said they're going to miss "his smile."

"It was infectious," Forsyth said.

As a tribute to Douglas, students on Friday were making posters to give to his mother and family at the end of the day.

"His biggest asset was his smile," Forsyth said.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala, Florida middle school mourns student killed in vehicle crash