Stafford man, 19, a UMass Dartmouth freshman, killed in pedestrian collision
DARTMOUTH, Mass.−A Stafford teen who was a freshman at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth was struck and killed by a car while on campus last week, officials said.
University Chancellor Mark Fuller announced the death of Frank A. Petillo Jr. in a message that was sent to university students and staff on Thursday night.
Police were called to Ring Road in Dartmouth about 5:30 p.m. Thursday on a report of a pedestrian being struck by a car, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement. The 19-year-old Petillo was found in the road with significant injuries, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
He was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in Dartmouth where he was pronounced dead.
The driver of the Honda Accord that struck Petillo, identified as a student at the university but unnamed, remained at the scene.
The Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the District Attorney’s office is continuing its investigation into the collision, the office said Tuesday.
Hundreds of people congregated on University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's campus Monday night for a candlelight vigil to remember Petillo and another student who died in a separate incident.
Petillo was studying bioengineering and played on the school’s club lacrosse team. At Monday’s vigil, his teammates remembered him as a kind friend and a hardworking athlete.
Petillo’s sister, Lauren Petillo, said she would always remember her brother’s laughter and smile.
“He was the happiest he had even been in his life and I am so thankful for that,” she said.
Petillo's father, Frank A. Petillo Sr., posted a message on his Facebook page about his family's loss.
Alexandra Landry, who was set to graduate this spring with a master's in fine arts and was regarded as a talented artist, also died on Thursday. No cause of death has been reported for her.
In response to Petillo’s death, a group of university freshmen launched an online petition to increase road safety at the university that garnered more than 5,000 signatures.
“The student body wants more safety. Speed bumps, speed monitors, sidewalks, and stop lights with crosswalks. We have to take action now, there is no time to wait when it costs a life,” the description for the petition read.
On Monday Fuller responded to these concerns with a written statement laying out a plan for increasing safety on the roads at the university.
Ken Serrano covers breaking news, crime and investigations. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or at kserrano@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Stafford NJ man, 19, killed in pedestrian crash at UMass Dartmouth
