‘Unfillable void’: Second teen dead after multi-car crash in Pompano Beach
A second teenage boy has died following a multi‑car crash that occurred over the weekend in Pompano Beach, the Broward Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.
Seventeen‑year‑old Richard Joseph Grable was taken to the hospital Friday evening, along with three other teens, after the collision near the 200 block of East Copans Road.
According to detectives, a 2019 Mercedes‑Benz CLA 250, driven by 16‑year‑old Jayden Vico, was traveling west on Copans Road when a 2021 Toyota Sienna, driven by 82-year-old Steven Linn Dehne, was traveling south on Leisure Boulevard toward East Copans Road. At some point, Dehne turned left and collided with Jayden’s car, which was carrying four passengers.
READ MORE:Teen driver killed in multi-car crash in Pompano Beach, Sheriff’s Office says
Jayden was pronounced dead at the scene after he lost control of the car, causing it to roll onto its roof as it slid southwest across the roadway and into the path of eastbound traffic.
“Jayden was truly one of a kind — kind, funny, compassionate, and full of light,” Celine Burgman wrote in a GoFundMe campaign started to help Jayden’s family cover his funeral expenses. “His presence brought joy to everyone who knew him, and his sudden absence leaves an unfillable void in all our lives.” Nearly $19,000 has been raised.
The Mercedes then collided with a 2015 Lexus RX 350, driven by Gilbert Francois. A fourth driver, Steven Miller, in a 2021 Toyota RAV4, was also impacted when his car was struck by debris from the collision as he traveled east on East Copans Road. Both Dehne and Miller were uninjured.
Pompano Beach Fire Rescue arrived and took the occupants of the Mercedes and the Lexus to a nearby hospital. Grable, who had been taken to the hospital, died on Monday, the Broward Sheriff’s Office confirmed. Authorities have yet to identify the other teens involved.
In a GoFundMe organized for Richard’s parents to help cover medical expenses, the organizer wrote that the family “are the kind of people who open their hearts and home to everyone.” The fundraiser added, “If you’ve ever been to their house, you know the warmth, kindness, and love they show to all of Richie’s friends.” So far, over $46,000 has been raised.
The boys were students at St. Aquinas High School, a private catholic school in Fort Lauderdale, which held a prayer service for the crash victims on Monday.
“The STA community is prayerful in response to the news of a terrible accident involving STA students,” the school wrote on their website. “In times like these, we are called to come together in prayer for the victims, their families, and for our entire community as we seek healing and comfort.”
Detectives say that excessive speed may have been a contributing factor in the crash, and the investigation is ongoing.