BARNSTABLE, MA- TEEN KILLED IN ROLLOVER ACCIDENT (08-15-09)

WEST BARNSTABLE — A local teenager's dreams of football camp and art school ended yesterday in a Route 6 crash.

Christopher Leonard, 17, of South Dennis was killed instantly when the Jeep Wrangler driven by his girlfriend, Savannah Szwarc, 19, of Sandwich, rolled over in the westbound lane between Exit 6 and Exit 5 at 12:13 p.m., according to Leonard's family and the state police.

The state police would not comment on the cause of the accident. But Leonard's stepmother said Szwarc had just pulled onto the highway, then had to swerve when cars ahead of her suddenly slowed down. She lost control and the vehicle flipped.

Szwarc was taken to Cape Cod Hospital with minor injuries, according to state police.

"I know (Savannah) is devastated and that she blames herself," Debbie Shea, Leonard's stepmother, said in an emotional interview with the Times at the family's South Dennis home. "But it was an accident. It's not her fault."

At least half of the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School football team rushed to Cape Cod Hospital yesterday afternoon as word of the tragedy spread, Shea said.

Leonard was passionate about football and his teammates. Besides football, he was on the high school baseball team and loved to snowboard, said his father, Jim Leonard.

"He just loved sports," Shea said. "His buddies on the football team were his second family."

Leonard was excited about football camp starting in two weeks and about being a high school senior.

From a young age, he loved to draw. Shea pulled out his most recent Mother's Day card to her. The card displayed his affection for her and his talent.

He hoped to become a freelance artist one day.

"He planned to go to college for art," his father said.

In the meantime, he lived every day to the fullest, Shea said.

Yesterday, Leonard and Szwarc, who had dated for several years, were heading to Sandwich to see Szwarc's mother when the crash occurred, Shea said.

Friends were traveling behind them. They saw the crash and called his parents within minutes.

Leonard was trapped underneath the Jeep. His friends tried in vain to lift the vehicle, Shea said.

"The state trooper said he died instantly," his stepmother said.

The contents of the Jeep, including notebooks and juice bottles, were spilled onto the grass on the highway shoulder. As investigators worked at the scene, the vehicle was mostly covered with tarps.

The crash slowed traffic to a crawl from before Exit 6, reducing the roadway to one lane for several hours as state police and the West Barnstable Fire Department responded to the crash.

capecodonline.com

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[RachaelnCharlie]

First off it's called an "accident" for a reason. The girl was not drinking and they weren't doing anything wrong. I myself was in a car that flipped 7 times at the age of 17 and I'm very lucky to be alive. You should never BLAME someone for such a horrible thing. Go on about your life and be thankful your still here.

[Skater4Life8o5]

i miss you toph

[kdcvilleHIM]

I feel bad now about watching this

[YouraN1993R]

what a fucking dumbass. woman drivers are fucking retards. "the traffic was slowing so she swerved" maybe you should pay attention and nobody would have gotten hurt! and saying it was an accident and it wasnt the drivers fault is BULLSHIT. you were DRIVING, ITS YOUR FAULT no matter if it was intended or not!!!

[sportsdrew97]

Dont you dare say it was the drivers fault, a kid lost his life for heavens sake

[guerrerense4]

JEEP wranglers are GOOD... It was a driver`s fault... That`s why, we the drivers, MUST NEED to READ the warning over the top:

! WARNING: higher rollover risk

Avoid Abrupt Maneuvers and Excessive Speed.

Always Buckle Up.

SEE Owner`s Manual For Further Information

[WranglerRoadHead]

@donnyab

First RIP Mr. Leonard.

Second: PART of the reason the younger crowd is predisposed to car wrecks is that they have had less time to LEARN to drive. People who got their license at 25 wouldnt be much better drivers than at 17. And the driving age is set to when you *supposedly* start working (as many require a car for work or school). Believe me, my parents werent going to get up at 2:30am every day to drop me off at FedEx for work every morning

[donnyab]

@NickNoRtHeRnLiGhTs

bully for you big boy - no what I am really saying is that seventeen year olds shouldn't even be let out of their houses, let alone drive a car until they learn to speak to/mail people without using profanity. Take the freedom out of the country....havn't you ever heard of a bus or a train or a bicycle even ?

P.S you shouldn't buy alcohol at all EVER, it just flavoured airline fuel, and you really don't want to use your liver as a filter for it - now do you ?.

[NickNoRtHeRnLiGhTs]

@donnyab i am 17 have had my liscence for a year and a half and i drive just fine, your trying to say we should just take the freedom out of this country by taking away everything we should be allowed to do. whats next, we cant buy alcohol until we are 80? fuckin prick

[jeepcollector91]

jeep rollcages do a great job when you wear you seatbelt and can stay inside the jeep. if you dont wear a seatbelt in a jeep, while it rolls over you will lift out of your seat and be crushed between the rollcage and the ground. let the rollcage do its job by wearing your seatbelt. then you can still be alive to worry about stuff like all the fluids running out of your jeep before you can put it back on its wheels and drive it home.