Fellow hockey players, members of community mourn Eagan boy killed on bike ride to school
Patric Vitek died Friday morning after his bike was hit by a vehicle in Eagan, Minnesota. (Supplied)
EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - After a 13-year-old boy's life was tragically cut short on Friday, members of the Eagan, Minnesota community gathered to honor his life.
Patric Vitek was killed on his bike as he tried to cross a busy road near his school Friday morning.
Hundreds of people, including firefighters, police, and young hockey players, gathered at the Eagan Civic Center for a candlelight vigil.
Throughout the day, a makeshift memorial grew in size along Diffley Road in Eagan as the community came to grips with the loss.
A makeshift memorial has been set up along Diffley Road in Eagan. (FOX 9)
"We came out here and we bought flowers at the Cub and we came out here to pray for him because he was a good friend of mine," said Gino Rojas.
Rojas saw his friend Patric just the night before his death while they went trick-or-treating on Halloween.
"I’m thinking about yesterday when we were trading candy... it’s just bad that we lost Patric," said Rojas.
Mourners gathered Friday night to remember 13-year-old Patric after the deadly crash.
It would be the last time Gino saw him.
"My dad told me and I just started crying because Patric was a good friend," he added.
Patric was in seventh grade and was biking to school when he was hit on Diffley Road. Eagan police say the driver of the car who hit him was heading east in the center lane when they struck Patric’s back tire.
"I actually knew him so it was really hard," explained Patric's schoolmate Alyssa Myers.
Patric's death has been a situation that's been difficult for both students and parents to comprehend.
"My heart goes out to the family," said Stacy Angerhofer. "I cannot even imagine; I worry every day about my child crossing the street every day."
The site of the vigil on Friday, the Eagan Civic Arena, was a spot where Patric spent many hours on the rink playing hockey. Mourners remembered Patrick for his humor, hard work, and friendship.
Community members say the section of Diffley Road where Patric was killed has been a concern for them for some time. Concerned residents say they've contacted the city about the road speeds near the school, hoping to see change.
FOX 9 has learned that the road is actually supervised by Dakota County. We reached out to Dakota County Manager Matt Smith who sent us a statement. It reads: “We are saddened by this tragic accident and offer our condolences to the family. Dakota County values safety on and near our roadways, above all else. We have and will continue to work with the City of Eagan and School District 196 to address safety concerns along Diffley Road and the surrounding area. In addition, Dakota County is studying all school zone areas adjacent to our highways in a further effort to ensure safety.”