ROCK HILL, SC (WBTV) -
Classmates and friends in Rock Hill are remembering a 16-year-old
who died when he lost control of his car and struck a light pole and two trees.
Officials have identified the victim as Frankie Adams. He
was a junior at Northwestern High School in Rock Hill.
Friends and classmates of Adams say everyone knew him here
at Northwestern High School, that's why his death has touched many around
campus on Friday.
"When you walk past students, all they're talking about is
him and all of the devastation in our school is just terrible," said student Danielle
Dease.
It was a somber mood, Friday, throughout the hallways of
Northwestern as students heard the news about their Adams dying Thursday night
after crashing his car.
"Our whole class didn't talk. All you could hear is some
people crying in the back, but our whole class didn't talk at all. It was just
dead silent," said Dease.
Police say Adams was getting off work at Zaxby's last around
11, Thursday night, when the teen lost control of his 1999 Acura RL in the 1800
block of Heckle Boulevard.
Officials say Adams ran off of the road striking a light
pole and two trees. The teen was pronounced dead on scene.
"He sits right beside me and the fact that he wasn't going
to be there is so weird," said Dease.
WBTV caught up with one of Adams' longtime friends who says
the teen had a heart of gold and always kept others laughing.
"It was just like wow, this isn't supposed to be happening
to a kid this age. He was a junior, he was going to graduate next year so it's
just tragic," said Dylan Stewart.
Police believe speed and weather conditions at the time of
the accident played a factor.
Now, this tightly knit student body will try to move forward
without one of their brightest stars.
"He was a great kid and I'm really going to miss him," said
Stewart.
Students and staff will honor Adams' memory at Friday's
baseball game, as Northwestern takes on Rock Hill High School.
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Frankie Lane Adams
