El Monte Middle School mourns the loss of a 12-year-old boy who died in an ATV accident Friday

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) – “The end of the school year is devastating. Usually there is a lot of joy and excitement, but the school year is over and that dampens the spirits of our entire community,” said Yolanda Valdez, Cutler-Orosi’s co-principal, as she described the pain and sadness at El Monte Middle School.

They mourn the loss of another of their students, this time a sixth grader.

Adrian, 12, was riding his ATV northeast of Orosi on Avenue 432 and Street 140 on Friday.

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According to the California Highway Patrol, he did not stop at a stop sign and was subsequently hit by a car.

Adrian died at the scene of the accident.

“You always have to deal with the loss of a human life. It’s very, very devastating. It’s tragic. But when you combine that with the fact that you’re a minor or a child, it makes it even more difficult,” said Johnny Woodrow, an officer with the Visalia California Highway Patrol.

The district describes the sixth-grader as an active child who had a passion for riding his ATV.

Adrian has two siblings and many cousins ​​who attend local schools, so the grief is felt throughout the district.

This is especially true at El Monte Middle School, as this incident occurred just eight months after an eighth-grade teacher was shot and killed in his home in Dinuba.

“This has just been a terrible, terrible year for us. When we lost Mr. Martin in November, our staff at El Monte School were very sad,” Valdez explains.

To help students cope with their grief, the school has set up a memorial for Adrian.

Students were able to write letters to his family and remember the friendly and active classmate he was.

As the community continues to process this loss at the end of the school year, the CHP is urging ATV riders to be cautious on the roads.

“Just to make sure they’re following all the traffic laws. That they have all the safety equipment. And again, you know, I can’t stress enough that these are off-road vehicles, they’re not meant to be driven on the road,” Officer Woodrow urges.

The last day of school is Tuesday, but the district says there will be support services available for Adrian’s family and friends as long as they are needed.

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