Dallas 12-year-old killed while asking for donations for summer track team
A driver hit and killed a young Dallas boy over the weekend who was out asking for donations on the side of the road.
Police say the 12-year-old was trying to cross the street near the Central Oak Cliff area of Dallas Saturday when he was hit by Jastasia King.
READ MORE: 12-year-old pedestrian killed in Dallas crash; Driver arrested for leaving scene
Kids in jerseys are typically seen at busy intersections hawking a bottle of water for donations or simply soliciting dollars to fund trips to sporting competitions. That’s what was happening when a 12-year-old was hit by a driver.
Through her pain, Zenovia Thompson talked about her middle child, 12-year-old Ricky Tave.
“From the moment he was born, I knew my baby was gonna be special. Everybody loved him,” she said. “Straight A student. Captain of the football team. He loved football. He made himself known everywhere he went. He loved to dance. Everybody just loved him. He was the life of the party.”
Ricky was killed Saturday while soliciting donations for a summer track team along Ledbetter Drive where it intersects with Vista Wood Boulevard.
“He was starting for football at McCowan Middle School this year,” Thompson said. He wanted to run track. Pick up his endurance to be a better football player because that was his passion.”
That track team ran in regionals on Monday without Ricky. They took a moment to pray for their friend and wore shirts with a picture of him in his football uniform.
Elite News Publisher Darrell Blair is not related to the family. He’s angry that kids hit busy street corners for donations to play sports. He had been complaining long before this tragedy.
“Let’s not let this kid’s life be in vain,” Blair said. “In some ways, this rings the bell for the city council and other government entities to put ordinances in place to stop this.”
Police say 26-year-old Jastasia King was behind the wheel of the Nissan that struck Ricky. She's charged with failure to stop and render aid. Police say she did stop, checked on the boy and then got back in her car and left. Her attorney says she left because the crowd at the scene were verbally and physically assaulting her.
“To know that he made a name for himself makes me proud,” Thompson said.
Ricky's funeral is scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. at Eternal Rest Funeral Home in DeSoto.
A candlelight vigil and balloon release is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Saturday honoring Ricky's life at McCowan Middle School in DeSoto.