7 teenagers die in Millington (Tenn) joyride

The Commercial Appeal ^ | 3/1/04 | Chris Conley

[GailA]

7 teenagers die in Millington joyride Why?

By Chris Conley Contact March 1, 2004

A late-night joyride turned to tragedy when a 15-year-old crashed the car he was driving into a tree near Millington, killing himself and six friends.

A passing motorist discovered the crushed car and the teens on Chambers Road, between Quito and Epperson Mill roads, about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

Police said they did not know exactly when it happened. The teens, all students at Millington Middle School, were dead when police arrived.

They were identified as Michael Fradella, 15, the driver; and passengers Trey Hannah, 15; Lauren Sutherland, 15; Samantha Stawizynski, 15; Jessica Wallace, 13; Crystal Smith, 13; and Eric Sansone, 14.

The 1991 Mazda Protege topped a low hill at high speed in the westbound lane of Chambers, went airborne, bounded across the eastbound lanes and hit the tree sideways, Shelby County Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Shular said.

The tree-lined road runs through a semirural area northwest of Millington.

There was no evidence of alcohol use, Shular said. Routine toxicological tests have been ordered.

Michael was driving on a learner's permit, Shular said.

Tennessee law says that holders of learner's permits must have a licensed driver 21 or older in the car and may not drive between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The four girls had been at a slumber party at Crystal's home, Shular said.

The girls were in the care of Crystal's grandmother, who was not identified.

The girls apparently locked the bedroom door behind them and left through a window. The screen on the window showed signs of being pried open, Shular said.

When deputies arrived at the crash site, they were unable to find any identification, Shular said.

Then a cell phone in the wreckage started ringing, and deputies picked it up. Michael Fradella's father was calling.

Michael Fradella's brother, Joe Fradella, recalled:

"I woke up about 5 o'clock and my dad said, 'I can't find your brother. We need to go look for him.' He had taken the keys to my dad's car while everyone was asleep, around 2 or 2:30. I guess he went out and scooped up his friends."

When they called Michael's cell phone, a police officer answered.

Joe Fradella said he believed the car was traveling about 80 miles an hour and skidded about 60 feet before hitting the tree.

"I guess a joyride, or something," the brother said.

"It's tragic," Shular said. "They all knew each other; they were very close."

Friends and family members converged on the site, at times clogging the road. Car parts were scattered across the area around the tree.

Some visitors had flowers to lay on the ground by the tree.

Others, weeping and being held up by friends, threw themselves down in front of the tree and were pulled away by friends.

The tragedy "is going to make parents pay close attention to where their kids are," said Eddie Matlock, whose stepdaughter was good friends with several of the victims.

He said he became concerned that she was among the victims after hearing about the tragedy. The girl stayed with her father that night as planned, he said.

"But when I first heard about it, I wanted to see her myself," Matlock said.

John Launius, a schoolteacher at Crosspointe Baptist Church, where he had taught some of the children, came to the site to pay his respects.

"They were good kids. A lot of kids loved them," he said, wiping away tears.

Sara Morris , 14, said she had been close friends with both Michael Fradella and Trey Hannah.

She said Michael had just gotten his learner's permit and was excited about it.

Morris said she called Trey "Trey-Trey," and that they often walked to the local library together.

[dead]

When I was a fifteen year old, my friend used to steal his mother's car and a half-dozen of us would pile in and go for a ride.

It was a dumb idea, but fifteen year olds often do dumb things.

Sorry we didn't die for you though.

[devane617]

God Bless those families. Such a senseless and tragic loss.

[hurly]

Amore is right! No one said they deserved to die, but hey certainly were not "good kids". We should stop lionizing kids (people) who die stupidly, and say that what they did was stupid and deserving of death. Notice I said what they did, not who they were!! If you stick your head in the tigers mouth and he bites, it doesn't make you a hero, merely stupid. Topping a hill at 80mph is stupid not deserving of praise!

[AxelPaulsenJr]

indictable

So is spelling errors.

Tagline stolen from whom?

[Protagoras]

Add that to the long list of things you didn't realize. Freshman.

[hobbes1]

Someone that can spell, obviously.

One would think if you encountered a word you didn't know you would have the common sense to look it up, before declaring it Misspelled....(or at least run it through the posting spell checker...)

[hobbes1]

Add 24 as well.

[OldFriend]

What makes some people take a superior attitude towards a tragedy like this is beyond me.

Kids do dumb things.

Adults do dumb things.

No one can say that they never did anything that couldn't have turned out tragically.

Pity Amore, a pathetic person without a shred of compassion.

[Protagoras]

God Bless those families. Such a senseless and tragic loss.

Hey! They deserved it! Don't you read posts by the wonderful Alex Paulsen?

C'mon grow up, it's not cool to feel compassion and ask God's blessings. It's way better to be a smart ass and make a cheap remark while hundreds of people are mourning the death of these children because they did the dumb things that kids sometimes do.

[gdc61]

You are right in one respect. you LEARN that if you didn't accept Jesus Christ as you savior and ernestly repent of your sins while you were Alive,that you will be spending eternity in hell. Your only chance for redemption is here on earth, not in the hereafter.

[BlueLancer]

I have to agree with Hurly and Amore.\
Darwin Award winners ...

Think of it as evolution in action.

[Fiddlstix]

......We know Crystal Smith's dad, hubby worked with him for several years.

Prayers for you as well as the families of the kids.

[mountaineer]

Seven kids in a tiny little Protege? That didn't give the driver a whole lot of elbow room to try to steer the thing.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

My apologies. Now tell me from whom was my tagline stolen?

[Protagoras]

Darwin Award winners ... Think of it as evolution in action.

You have children?

[1rudeboy]

Let's back-up a minute, shall we? No one disputes that taking your dad's car on a joyride is a "bad" thing to do. But to suggest that the outcome of the act is somehow less worthy of pity because the "but for" side of the equation (but for the illegal act, no one would have died) is "bad" is simply sub-human.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

I am still waiting for a reply to my question to you. From whom was or is my tagline stolen?

[BlueLancer]

"Let's back-up a minute, shall we? No one disputes that taking your dad's car on a joyride is a "bad" thing to do. But to suggest that the outcome of the act is somehow less worthy of pity because the "but for" side of the equation (but for the illegal act, no one would have died) is "bad" is simply sub-human."

Let's do some editing, shall we?

Let's back-up a minute, shall we? No one disputes that armed robbery is a "bad" thing to do. But to suggest that the outcome of the act is somehow less worthy of pity because the "but for" side of the equation (but for the illegal act, no one would have died) is "bad" is simply sub-human.

[hobbes1]

Well, let's say the evidence is still circumstantial.

Good Posting at a minimum, requires two things. Reasoning...and Literacy....Excellence goes a bit beyond that, and that is where one gets into Wit, and deeper factors....

You carrying that tagline is like finding a Wino, with a Gucci Billfold stuffed full of Hundreds.

You might not know WHO he stole it from, but there is no way it Belongs to Him.

[1rudeboy]

What is the "outcome" of your hypothetical, professor?