Parents Cindy Barcase & Mark Witmyer mourn the loss of their 16 year old Son Matt Barcase after he was struck by a car Saturday Night in Ocean City on Rt. 50 near Hoopers Restaurant. Matt was a student at Stephen Decatur High School.
As we enter the very beginning of summer, we cannot stress enough the importance of using cross walks and following the direction of the signals. Use the Cross Walks! I lived in Ocean City for many years and you just wouldn't believe the amount of people ignoring these traffic signals. Do NOT drink and drive as well. There are no excuses is today's day and age.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mrs. Barcase, Mr. Witmyer & Families.
I feel for the family...We have the same problem here in Salisbury.....I challenge anyone to sit at royal farm at W Main st and 13, and count how many people come running across a major city road, 50 to 60 ft from the cross walk. Same problem on camden ave by the college...students running across the road ignoring the crosswalks, then look at you like you have something wrong with you don't stop.
ReplyDeleteI hate driving on 13 near the Royal Farms. Can the police crack down on the J walkers? Not to be a prick but someone will get killed soon.
ReplyDeletethis breaks my heart - BTW there are NO crosswalks on RT 50 - I have asked SHA many times about this - there is no safe place to cross. They were crossing due to the west bound sidewalk being closed. And - don't forget the driver who killed Mattt was DUI-
ReplyDeleteanon 1:30 there is a crosswalk on route 50 near hoopers where he crossed...right by the park and ride. It was a few hundred feet from where the accident occured.
ReplyDeleteRt. 13 by Royal Farms is an accident waiting to happen. Why does the bus stop have to be where it is?
ReplyDeleteactually the crosswalks are currently missing in West Ocean City because of ongoing paving... the paving started last fall/early winter but was not completed in time... so now the paving continues and any marked crosswalks have been covered
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame, but the presence of crosswalks doesn't seem to deter people from crossing highways. They look for what they think is the quickest way, ignoring crosswalks that sometimes are within feet of them.
ReplyDeleteYou never realize how painful it is to lose one of your best friends, until it happens.
ReplyDeleteMatt was one of my greatest friends i have EVER had.
He was ALWAYs there when i needed him. i never cried so hard over anything before, and this really set my tears off.
pedestrians have the right to go before drivers, i feel for the family, and hope they read this. i plan on being at the funeral.
I love you Matt.♥-
-Miranda.♥
hey matt its nick we had some good times together and its just so devastating we had just talked friday it was good knowing you and i had a real good time in school please take it easy up there and just relax
ReplyDeleteBusiest weekend of the summer season and the OCPD were not doing their job. But Cheif Bernadette won Delmarva's Dancing with the Stars! Maybe next year, she will be there to make sure the things like this don't happen.
ReplyDeletethis happened outside of Ocean City. What does the OCPD have to do with it???? If you want to lay blame on a police department blame the MSP or Worcester County Sheriff's Department.
ReplyDelete6:49 Get your facts right idiot, first off this is about the loss of a young life, RIP, second, it happened across the Route 50 bridge, out of Ocean City Police Departments area of responsibilty, now blame MSP or maybe the WCSO, which is your preferance.
ReplyDelete6:49, This tragedy happened on Rt.50 in WEST OCEAN CITY!!! It is outside of their jurisdiction. Primary response is Md. State Police or Worcestor County Sheriff's Dept., not the OCPD. Moron!!!
ReplyDeleteFolks, stop the blame game. This is an unfortunate incident. We don't know if Matt was running so fast that when he tried to stop he fell into the traffic.
ReplyDeleteThe car had a drunk driver, but I'm not sure if it could have been avoided sober. A kid ran out in front of me the other day. It was close. Real close.
Let us mourn this young man and give a hug to his friends posting here. Prayers for comfort to the family. The hardest thing parents ever have to endure, losing their kid.
anonymous 9:39, THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't believe some of the comments I have rejected from this Post today.
This is a very sad situation for ALL involved.
Use the Cross Walks Folks. They're there for a reason.
Hey Matt i'm going to miss you dude when i had found out i was in complete shock but god will take care of you and your family, and you friends.
ReplyDeleteMy Prayers go to your family and Friends R.I.P.
Your friend Brandon Flakowitz.
How about instead of blaming we focus on the fact that a young man lost his life. His parents lost a son. His brother lost a brother. His granparents lost a grandson. His friends lost a friend. And for those of you who are focusing on blaming anyone and everyone think of those that are dealing with all this the best they can. If you didn't know matt you missed out on a great, funny, smart, caring,and talented boy that made this world a better place!
ReplyDeleteAnd also, on behalf of matts family thank you for all the prayers and support. To his friends be strong and never forget him. Please be careful. Lifes too short. We have all learned that accidents can happen to anyone. God has a great angel that will watch over each and every one of us.
ReplyDeletedear matt, hah we had gym together, i remembered you as "the kid with the hair" cause ms. marzboni or whatever the gym teachers name was really liked your hair lol, but hey i really didnt get to know you and i wish i had. Your passing taught me to get to know your peers and be as nice as you can, because you never know when something like this could happen, so quickly. You were such an awsome team mate in ultimate frisbee, hah im gonna miss you.
ReplyDeletelove jess
dear matt, hah we had gym together, i remembered you as "the kid with the hair" cause ms. marzboni or whatever the gym teachers name was really liked your hair lol, but hey i really didnt get to know you and i wish i had. Your passing taught me to get to know your peers and be as nice as you can, because you never know when something like this could happen, so quickly. You were such an awsome team mate in ultimate frisbee, hah im gonna miss you.
ReplyDeletelove jess
The boy is gone, the driver was drunk.. the parents are never going to get over this.. How dare you blame the chief or any police officer for this tragic event.. why dont you blame yourself... My SISTER is not to blame... it was an accident.... she is the best chief and person ... you have no right placing blame on her.. you should apologise...
ReplyDeleteI was there when Matt died. I did not know him, but my Mother held his hand as he took his last breath. She kept repeating to him that he was not alone and I can attest that he wasn't. This was a horrific needless tragedy. I can only hope that Matt's death wasn't in vain and at least others can learn from his passing. A drunk driver killed this poor young boy. His life will also forever be changed. If he had just made the decision to not get behind the wheel, Matt would still be alive today. God bless Matt and his family. The memory of that terrible accident will never leave me.
ReplyDeleteThank You for sharing that Danielle. You and your Mom were his special Angels and I'm sure his Parents will find peace in knowing you were there to comfort him. God Bless you both.
ReplyDeletenonymous said...
ReplyDeleteBusiest weekend of the summer season and the OCPD were not doing their job. But Cheif Bernadette won Delmarva's Dancing with the Stars! Maybe next year, she will be there to make sure the things like this don't happen.
6:49 PM
In reference to this internet tough guy goof.... Number 1 this is a horrific tragedy. God Bless Matt and his family. Number 2 you should learn a little thing called JURISDICTION. Do you blame the OCPD Chief when a body rolls up in the inner harbor of Baltimore too? Number 3 even if there were 10000 cops on every corner block etc in OC this tragedy still might now have been prevented. Shame on you for blaming this tragedy on a police Chief who you claim was merely dancing for fun. Oh yeah by the way, the event she was in was raising money for CANCER, though I'm sure you blame her for that too. Get a life bud. God bless Matt and the SDHS family and shame on internet thugs who use tragedy as a way to further their political juvenile agendas.
One of the biggest tragedies of all was the fact that after 5 friends witnessed Matts death and were questioned by the MD STATE POLICE for an hour, as minors they were left on their own, dismissed to find rides, no parents were called, no rides were offered. Thank you to those that stopped to help Matt. Thank you to his friends. It doesn't matter whether there was on wasnn't a crosswalk. Pedestrians do have the right of way. The driver was drunk. This happens every year, doesn't it? Food for thought OCEAN CITY, WEST OCEAN CITY - let's put a cross bridge or during busy weekends, let's do more patroling out there. Check points, perhaps? Matthew, we love you you always & forever!
ReplyDeleteOk, i want to clear some things up, i am matts best friend. I was with him the night of the accident. We were headed into ocean city after my girlfriends birthday dinner, and i will add that their were no crosswalks, me and the girls stopped at the median but he kept going. Matt got hit at exactly 8:00. i had the call saved on my cell phone. Paramedics reported him dead at 8:03. Matt, i love you brother.
ReplyDelete-Cody Bush