Okemos High School Senior Dies After Tragic Car Accident

Adam Nevells was an active and well-liked senior at Okemos High School. Sadly, his young life was cut short on Friday night. Several hours after watching one of the first football games of the season, Nevells was pulling out of the high school parking lot and was struck by a 21-year-old man in a pickup truck. On Friday, he died as a result of the injuries he sustained during that accident.

The accident occurred at 11:20 p.m. on Thursday. Nevells was apparently returning with a friend to pick up a car that was left there after the football game. Police stated that Nevells pulled out of the parking lot onto Jolly Road and into the path of the oncoming pickup. The 21-year-old driver struck Nevells’ car and was later transported to the hospital without any serious injuries. The accident is still under investigation, but alcohol is not believed to be a factor.

Nevells was captain of the wrestling team, a saxophone player in the concert and marching bands, and captain of the water polo team. He was also a Life Scout with Boy Scouts of America and student-at-large at his church in East Lansing. His fellow students remember him with fondness, as a dedicated, hard-working young man and an inspiration to his classmates.

As parents, we all have worries about our children’s safety as we see them grow up and shift from being passengers in our vehicles to driving themselves around. We often wonder if they hear us when we talk about defensive driving, being safe, even if it seems like there’s plenty of time to make that turn, plenty of space to make that move. As we send our condolences to the family, we can also let this tragic accident serve as a reminder that it’s never a mistake to remind our children about being an aware driver. Five seconds of extra waiting, even if it seems like it’s no big deal, can make a world of difference.