A 16-year-old Kentridge High School junior has died after injuries he suffered Tuesday morning in a multi-car collision in Kent as he drove to school.
Teagan McGinnis, who had been on life support at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, died Tuesday evening, according to Kent School District officials.
“We received confirmation from the family that he did pass away during the night,” said district spokesman Chris Loftis on Wednesday.
A hospital spokeswoman said McGinnis had been in critical condition until he died Tuesday evening.
The collisions occurred at about 7:19 a.m. at the intersection of South 208th Street and 120th Place Southeast, according to a Kent Police media release. The streets are only one-third of a mile from the high school.
Police investigators report that McGinnis was westbound on South 208th Street passing through the intersection when a northbound vehicle, driven by a 49-year-old Kent woman on 120th Place, attempted to make a left turn onto westbound 208th. The vehicles collided and the impact caused the boy’s vehicle to lose control and cross into the westbound lanes of 208th.
A vehicle westbound on 208th, driven by a 58-year-old Kent woman, approached the intersection and attempted to avoid the oncoming vehicle driven by McGinnis, but collided with it causing significant damage to both vehicles.
A Renton Police detective came across the collision, called Kent Police and started life-saving efforts on McGinnis. Kent officers and paramedics continued the life-saving efforts. Medic One transported McGinnis to Harborview Medical Center, where he later died.
Both woman drivers were transported to hospitals for non-life threatening injuries.
“There are multiple factors to this collision scene and it is too early in the investigation to make any specific determinations,” said Kent Police Traffic Sgt. Robert Constant. “However, we can all say this is an absolute tragedy to lose one so young in our community.”
The Kent School District has taken steps to help people cope with the loss of McGinnis.
“We have additional counselors on site today (Wednesday) and through the week if needed,” said Loftis in an email. “Also we have made our EAP (Employee Assistance Program) counselors available to staff members for confidential consultation. These are both standard practices whenever we are faced with tragedy at a school.”
Loftis said Principal Mike Albrecht made an announcement Wednesday to students and staff. Superintendent Edward Lee Vargas plans to send an email to inform the rest of the school district community.
“Today (Wednesday) we will work through tears,” Loftis said.
Friends and family set up a Facebook page called Remember Teagan McGinnis, where Carrie Howard Shaw posted the following comment:
“Just being in Teagan’s presence made you smile,” Shaw wrote. “He lived big and had infectious joy that he always spread around. Nothing can replace you, but we know that the promise of heaven and the Lord’s comfort and peace will fill that space in your family.”
Just six years ago, Tim McGinnis, the father of Teagan, died of cancer on Nov. 15, 2007, at the age of 37, according to his obituary. Survivors included his wife Laura, and their four children.
This also marked the third traffic death in the last four weeks in Kent, each 21 or younger. Brandon Gonzalez, 17, of Kent, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School, died in a crash Oct. 20 along the West Valley Highway. Charissa Judkins, 21, of Edmonds, died from injuries suffered in a Nov. 3 accident along 148th Avenue Southeast.
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