Greenon HS students gather at vigil for Clark Co. teen killed in crash

UPDATE @ 9:10 p.m.

Greenon High School teacher Cathy Turner remembers Kenny DePhillip as a fun-loving, practical jokester who was friends with everyone at the school.

“He was just an all-around amazing, good kid and a great loss to our community,” Turner said.

DePhillip was killed when the car he was riding in crashed into a pole near Fowler and Rebert Pike Sunday afternoon. He is the third Clark County student to die in a car crash within the past eight weeks.

>> 2 high school teens killed in Greene County crash

“I tell all my students I treat them like my own kids, and I look out here and I see a group of kids I’m proud to call my own,” Turner said.

“Kenny’s looking down and proud to see all of these friends supporting him and remembering him.”

Pastor Dan Fiorini at the West Enon Church of God said DePhillip recently began attending Wednesday night services at the church.

He remembers DePhillip as an adventurer working to become an Eagle Scout.

“Kenny was real strong in the band…was in the scouts working on being an Eagle Scout, and also on the swim team here at school. The kids are going to miss him,” Fiorini said.

>>Greenon mourns third student death in two months in fatal car crashes

Fiorini said he was at the high school Monday assisting school councilors as students grieve the loss of another classmate.

“Well when you look at the students and you know they’re hurting and you know they’re struggling today.”

"But this is a tight knit group and they're there hugging on one another and that's what's going to get them through," Fiorini said.

UPDATE @ 4 p.m. (Oct. 16):

A vigil for students will be held tonight at Greenon High School, just a day after junior Kenny DePhillip was killed in a crash.

Anna Allison lived near DePhillip and remembered playing with him in the neighborhood when the two were younger.

“He was just really caring and would always help everyone if they needed help,” Allison said.

RELATED: Greenon boys killed in crash remembered as compassionate

Emily Pogue’s brother was best friends with the junior and said he was at their house all the time.

“He was just a really kind-hearted person... like his smile and laugh would make everyone smile it was contagious,” Pogue told this news organization.

The vigil will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the high school at 3950 S. Tecumseh Rd.

UPDATE @ 11:41 a.m.:

A memorial has started at the base of a tree, where a Greenon High School student was killed in a crash Sunday.

A flower was placed at the crash site and remained there around 11 a.m. Monday.

INITIAL REPORT:

Greenon Local Schools will be closed today after a high school student was killed in a crash Sunday afternoon.

Kenny DePhillip, a 16-year-old Greenon High School junior, died in the one-car crash in Enon Sunday afternoon, according to Sgt. Richard Dixon of the Springfield Post of the Ohio State Patrol.

>> Local news from the Springfield bureau

The driver, identified as Andrew J. Scott, 16,  was transported to Miami Valley Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

First-responders had to extricate both people after the car hit a pole.

Emergency crews were dispatched to the area of near Fowler and Rebert Pike around 4:20 p.m.

The car drove off the right side of the roadway, clipped a telephone pole and then hit another pole.

Schools closed, vigil Monday night

A message released from Greenon Schools late Sunday said “all Greenon Local Schools will be closed on Monday, Oct. 16. The entire Greenon Family is saddened to share that a high school student was killed this afternoon in a car crash and a second student was injured in the crash. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two students involved in the crash.

While school will not be in session on Monday, the school will have counselors available for students at Greenon Junior/Senior High School from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students may come to the school to talk with a counselor or can call the school at 937-340-6372 ext. 5000 if they would like a counselor to call them.

A vigil for the students will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Monday at Greenon High School.

Second fatal crash this year

In August, two other boys tied to Greenon High School died in an accident.

RELATED: Greenon boys killed in crash remembered as compassionate

Senior David Waag, 17, played soccer at Greenon High School. Sophomore Connor Williams, 15, played football at Greenon while attending classes at the Global Impact STEM Academy in Springfield.

The boys were killed when they were in the back seat of a car traveling on Wilkerson Road between Fairborn and Yellow Springs. The driver allegedly lost control and the car hit a tree before rolling over, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

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