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Pine Forest High Student Killed In Hwy 29 Traffic Crash; Three Other Students Injured
January 28, 2015
A Pine Forest High School student with a love for basketball was killed and three other students were injured in a two vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon on Highway 29.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 19-year old Gregory D. Murphy, 19, was traveling north on Highway 29 about 12:15 p.m. and attempted a left turn onto Kenmore Road. He pulled his 2004 Lincoln LS into the path of a southbound 2007 Dodge Durango driven by 59-year old Blondarene B. Pritchett.
A passenger in the Lincoln, 17 year old Jaques Hill, died as a result of the accident, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. He had lived in Pensacola for only about a month, moving to purse a basketball career on the Pine Forest Eagles team.
Murphy received minor injuries in the crash. Passenger Daveyon A. Finkley, 17, and Ronald Kirkland, 18, were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition. All four occupants of the Lincoln are students at Pine Forest High School. The school will have counselors on hand Thursday for students.
Pritchett was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries.
The FHP’s traffic homicide investigation is ongoing; any charges are pending the results.
Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
43 Responses to “Pine Forest High Student Killed In Hwy 29 Traffic Crash; Three Other Students Injured”
I miss you nephew. Just watch his highlights he was a beast love you always fly high
Jay, it has been a minute since you left us. 8 years to be exact and it still has not gotten any easier. We miss you down here and we will all see you again someday. Love you forever and always.
My heart, thoughts and deepest condolences go out to this young mans family and friends. I pray you all find peace in this most tragic of times. My heart also goes out to the students that were in the car, they will never forget the day they lost their friend.
Love and prayers to the family..
Prayers for this young mans family.Its my biggest fear while having a teen daughter driving now…He is touching the face of Jesus now.
man i love u bro alooot…you meant alot to me and its hard to not think about you.i think about the thing we use to do but i know you are having a better time in heaven i love u bro #flyhighjay4
So sad that you are gone I really miss you bro had fun times in English class me you and eddie listening to music and making jokes and talking about basketball season. every game I play for you I love you man you will never be forgotten.
Jay your a awesome kid that has a smile that GOD called upon, that you were chosen to play on his team to show your talent and spread your angel wings. Lil Ren, Josh, Dei’Shawn, and Gerald miss you and know you are forever in their thoughts and prayers. You blessed your loved ones with 17yrs of joy. #4 fly high!
You will always be a Steele Knight!
GOD bless you and your Family!!!
The Williams Family
We prary for your strenght during this time, We all know this is a hard time for your family. Look to God for your help, no matter what man may say, God will see you through.
To the family of this young man, no words can describe the pain and heartache you are feeling I know because im a mother of a child in heaven too. Hold on to Gods hand .Psalms 34:18 Im so sorry for the loss of your son
Life is but a vapor we are here today and can be gone today, do live your life to the fullest and get the best out of life, Jay was a wonderful and amazing young man full of life and had a dream and a goal, He might not be here but his dream live on , RIP my Grandson I will see you again, you left to soon .
Grandma
R.I.P Jay!!! Gone to soon lil brother but you will never be forgot. But let me get this clear to some ignorance I been reading. This is my god brother and I will not let anyone slander his name. Jay was an amazing student and amazing athlete. Whoever this molinoman is the best thing for you to do is keep your mouth shut and have some type of heart. If you dont have none nice to say keep your inputs to yourself. This is my family and I will defend them. All these negative comments are irrelevant at the moment. So keep em to yourself. Heaven has another angel now. Spread your wings Jay!! Love you lil brother.
Whoever molinoman is needs to stop being so heartless and ignorant. I have a high school junior that went to school with Jay. I signed for my child to have off campus privledges because I trust my child. You are a perfect example of what is wrong with society. Ready to place the blame on someone else by saying you would sue the school. I signed the paperwork so if something happens, I am liable, not the school. Not all kids are trouble makers and should be trusted. How else do they learn to take responsibility? I’m tired of people lumping all kids in one category. And I’m tired of people blaming anyone else besides themselves. Have some compassion for these people. Jay was loved by many and his friends and family deserve compassion, not cruelty. I hope nothing ever happens to your kid. But maybe that’s what it will take for you to understand what these people are going through. I will pray for you.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I lived in Century, FL for a long time but now I’m living in Converse,TX and read northescambia often. When I saw you sons name I thought it sounds familiar from the news here. Once again so sorry for you loss and my thoughts and prayers are with you.
My son, Trent, just started driving this past summer and as a parent, it’s a very frightening and unsettling adjustment to have to let go and allow our kids the space they need to become experienced with such harmful tasks as operating a vehicle. With that said, Son (my only child), let’s always learn to be cordial, open and honest with one another for you nor I will never know the last time we will see each other, hear one another’s voice or laughter, or even feel each other’s touch. Just know that yesterday, today and tomorrow I loved you and will always love you with all my being! Having personally met Jay I can honestly say he was a good kid just as I believe you are but anything can and sometimes do happen to good kids/people! I am thankful for you today and May GOD Bless Jay’s mother/family during this difficult time.
Jay Hill was one of the sweetest most respectful young men i know. A difficult and tragic loss for all involved and for all who knew him. He had big dreams and was working so hard to achieve them. He will be missed here at Steele and Clemens High Schools and by our community. Our prayers go out to his family and the other families involved. Once a Knight Aways A Knight… All our Love…Till we see each other again Jay.
Jay was a great guy he never did anything in his life that was worth this much punishment, its hard to take in but he is in a much better place now. But then we have people on here saying he was being stupid and that’s why he got killed but on the contrary he was excused from school that day! He did nothing wrong, he went with some friends to get lunch like it was any other day. He did nothing to cause this and now people are on here disrespecting his family! They just lost there son, you should be praying for his family! What if this happened to your own kid how would you feel? So stop being disrespectful, there in enough pain as is.
About a month ago I remember you on the computer in third period watching basketball highlights. You pointed to the screen and said “did you see that? That was cool wasn’t it? I’m going to do that, but I’ll do it better.” Or you would come in and say who say my dunk last night at the game and then get on hudl and show us. I really did miss that, I still do. But you’re in a good place now. God has a plan, and we will miss you dearly here at Steele high school! I love you Jay. See you again someday!
We Love You Jay you’re gone but NEVER forgot at Steele once a Knight Always A Knight Love a You Man.
Sending prayers. I know that all the families are hurting. But to be honest the teens were getting in and out of the cars running around them goofing off. Anyone around at the time would know that. But this did not cause the wreck. I just pray everyone heals and the parents of the lost child can have the strength to live. A lost of a child is the worst. Other teens listen up and be careful out on the road. Your parents worry about you because they love you.
I went to school with Jay. Anytime you saw him he would always have a smile on his face no matter what. You will be missed dearly. You forever will be #4 at Steele. Once a Knight always a night.
My prayers are with the family for all of the children that was injured in this accident. My daughter had an head on collision last friday and went i arrived at the scene, i thought the worst. My daughter had minor injuries but i know what the parents are going through at this difficult time. My prayers are with everyone and i give my condolences.
Molinoman, Since when is it the schools responsibility to babysit your teenager? Parents should be the ones held responsible for their children’s actions. Instead of trying to sue the school perhaps you should teach them to stay in school. Kids are going to do stupid things, especially when in a group of their peers. The best a parent can do is try to teach them that they aren’t invincible . It doesn’t always work unfortunately . Prayers go out to this young man’s family.
My prayers go out to the family and friends of this young man. R.I.P Jacques.
From one mother to another i cry for you this very moment. I can only imagine the pain and emptiness you feel. Your hurt will be for the remainder of your life, but find comfort in the arms of jehovah who reassures us we will see our loved ones again. He is the one person who cant lie. That itself is the comfort you live for from this moment on. In due time you will see your son again. Be patient and i pray for comfort for you and your family.
I saw this young man’s grandfather on the channel 3 news last night. He was on there for the express reason of letting people know that his grandson was not skipping school, and that his family knew where he was. He also stated that people are so quick to pass judgement and assume that teenagers are all troublemakers. He just wanted people to know that his grandson was not like that. So sad that at a time like this, he had to worry about what people would say about his grandson. Shame on us. If we would clean up our own backyards we wouldn’t have time to worry about someone else,
Our prayers go out to this family. Please know that all your Steele family are thinking about you during this time. Jay was an awesome young man. Once a Knight, always a Knight. God Bless you!
I am so incredibly sorry! I never meant to hurt anyones feelings when I wondered why they werent in school. I was thinking it was some sort of field trip or class project. Something along those lines. Again I am so very sorry. Never meant to imply anything. Please forgive me. You and your family are in my prayers.
Jay you where a really good friend and athlete. he was a tremendous guy funny and smart. i remember when we went to 7th grade together. truly shocking you will be missed.
Prayers to all the families hurt by this tragedy. People, if it was your Son(s), would you want positive thoughts, or angry random people spilling judgement? A Mother has lost her son, other Mothers are praying theirs will heal….students and teachers are hurt…..can we just be supportive?
We the community Cibolo, Texas and students of Steele High School are grieved by the passing of Jaques Hill. We are all praying for the family and students of Pine Forest High School. My grandson was so heartbroken this morning before he went to school. Thanks to the grief counselors at Pine Forest and Steele high schools that are helping the students deal with the tragic loss of one of their friends. God bless all of you!
What difference does it make where the teenager was. One thing is for sure, he is no longer here. We can always say could of, should of, would of but none of that matters now because we can’t turn back the hands of time. Instead, pray for his family that they can find comfort and some kind of peace with this tragedy. His family and friends will be in my thoughts and prayers. RIP Jaques Hill.
This is so tragic, I just watched Jacques play here in Cibolo, TX for the Steele Knights before he left for Florida, awesome and respectful young man! Prayers going out for him and his family in this very difficult time.
@molinoman
Please do not speculate. You are entitled to your opinion but at this time it’s not truth. They were not required to attend school because of the FSA testing. They never stepped onto the campus at all. So please, my sister is hurting. We need prayer not speculation.
Students cannot leave for lunch at any Escambia County high school.
However, Monday and Tuesday PFHS was taking the field test (or practice test) for the states new FSA test to be given in March. All 9th, 10th and 11th graders were taking the field test in the morning and afternoon. After Monday I am sure the seniors realized they were being baby sat all day and Tuesday would be the same.
PLEASE PEOPLE DON’T BE SO CRUEL. MY SON WAS JUST IN A VERY BAD WRECK AND IS GOING TO BE OK, THIS IS SO SAD FOR THIS FAMILY, I THINK THEY ARE HEART BROKEN ENOUGH WITHOUT HAVING TO HEAR SUCH CRUEL THINGS. I KEEP PLAYING THE PHONE CALL IN MY HEAD. YOUR SON HAS BEEN IN A VERY BAD ACCIDENT HE HAS HEAD TRAUMA AND YOU THINK OH MY GOD HE IS GOING TO DIE. I WAS SO LUCKY I HAVE MY SON BACK, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO HAND MY SON FLOWERS THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT THEM ON THEIR SONS CASKET-GOD BLESS THEM ALL AND YOU ARE IN MY PRAYERS.
JUST REMEMBER PEOPLE IT COULD OF BEEN YOUR FAMILY SO THINK BEFORE YOU JUDGE!!!!!!!
Thank you for the prayers. Jacques was excused from school. He did not step foot on the grounds of Pine Forest. He was not required to be there. Please continue to pray. We need them.
Man this is depressing! I just seen him the night before playing his heart out on that basketball court. And in a blink of an eye he’s just gone :’( I’ve had classes with him and he was a very cool person.
Befor commenting on not be in school,Hill was excused from school due to testing according to his grandfather.not sure on the other three
to: sigh
nice to know when I send my kids to school they can load up with fellow seniors and run all over town for however long lunch is. Most likely showing out, taking selfies with the radio cranked up.
Once on campus they should stay on campus. This isn’t college yet. They are minors in the care of the school during school hours. I’d sue the pants off the high school if my kid was killed during school hours.
FYI, seniors can not leave campus for lunch!! Too much liability for the HS. Seniors leaving for lunch is a thing of the past.
Puddin,
Given their age, I assume they are seniors. Seniors are permitted to leave campus for lunch. Just an FYI. Just say a prayer for the family and don’t be curious about insignificant details.
We have lost quite a few teenagers lately to car accidents. Yall please look twice, slow down and wear your seat belts.
So sad.
Curious why they were out of school at that time on a school day? Prayers for the family and friends.