BROCKTON — A 10-year-old fifth-grader from Brockton has been identified as the victim of a car crash that seriously injured his brother, sister and parents, Brockton Public Schools confirmed in a Facebook post.
Jaylen Bush-Victorian, a fifth-grader at Downey Elementary School, was killed Sunday night when a drunk driver struck the car he and his family were riding in on Route 1 in Plainville.
According to Brockton Public Schools, Jaylen’s two siblings, who also attend Brockton schools, and his parents, including his mother who works as a paraprofessional at the Barrett Russell Early Childhood Center, were seriously injured in the crash.
“It is challenging to find the words to express the sense of loss this tragedy brings. Our hearts are with the family and all who love them as they grieve,” they wrote.
“Life is precious. Prayers and condolences to his family during this time of immense sorrow,” Brockton City Councilor Winthrop Farwell wrote in a Facebook post.
On Wednesday, August 28, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., adjustment counselors will be on hand at Downey Elementary School for the school community affected by the loss.
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Car crash kills Brockton fifth-grader: What happened?
According to WCVB, Michael Escolas, 42, of Oxford, left the parking lot of Gillette Stadium after a Kenney Chesney concert, stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee and began driving at a high rate of speed on Route 1.
Prosecutors told WCVB that Escolas was driving about 50 mph when he struck a Nissan Altima driven by the Bush-Victorian family. The car was stopped at a red light at the intersection of Interstate 495.
“The suspect approaches, crosses the white, dotted line between the two lanes and then rams the victim’s car in the left rear, right where the 10-year-old was sitting in the car, with a significant amount of force,” prosecutor Adam Lally told WCVB.
“He subsequently agreed to an audio recording of the interview, in which he indicated that he had been drinking at the concerts,” Lally said.
Escolas was arraigned Monday in Wrentham District Court on 16 charges, including drunken homicide, second-offense drunken homicide, theft of a motor vehicle, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, lane marking violation, speeding, failure to drive carefully when starting, stopping, turning or backing up and nine counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, court records said.
His bail was set at $100,000 and his driver’s license was seized at the time of the accident.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton fifth-grader Jaylen Bush-Victorian killed in Plainville crash
