( 4UMF NEWS ) Football Star Killed In Hit And Run:
A high school football star was killed by a hit-and-run driver who wreaked havoc on the streets of the Bronx, police and relatives said Saturday.
The deadly accident claimed the life of 18-year-old David (Troy) Ellis, a Jamaica High School senior being recruited by several colleges.
“He’s just my everything,” said his weeping sister Tara Ellis at the family’s Bronx home. “He was just a wonderful kid, the ideal person.”
The star cornerback was pedaling near the intersection of East Gun Hill Rd. and Webster Ave. in Wiliamsbridge when he was hit by a 2001 Nissan Maxima, police said.
Thrown from the bike he borrowed from a friend, Ellis landed in the southbound lanes of Webster Ave. — and directly into the path of an oncoming Ford Explorer, police said.
The driver of the SUV had no chance to stop and ran over the teenager, police said. Ellis was rushed to Montefiore Hospital but could not be revived.
Ellis contacted his sister at 11:04 p.m. Friday to say he was with friends, she said. Sixteen minutes later, he was struck by the speeding Maxima.
“He was ready to go to college,” cried Tara Ellis. “Lots of colleges were looking at him.”
She said her brother grew up in New York but moved to Florida for a few years to escape the city. He returned a year ago to play football at Jamaica High.
“He was just a good kid,” she said, adding that Florida State was her brother’s dream school. “He left so many people behind and we all love him so much. It’s so sad.”
Like many others who knew Ellis, his high school coach was devestated.
“Oh my God, no,” said head coach Calvin Whitfield before he broke down and wept. “S–t, no. I can’t believe this. Oh God, no.”
The Maxima skidded to a stop not far from the accident scene and two people hopped out of the car and tried to sprint away, police said.
Police are hunting for the driver, but no number of arrests would bring Tara Ellis peace.
“I don’t care about them because they can’t bring him back,” she said. “My brother’s still gone.”
The driver of the SUV will not face any criminal charges, police said.
