Kansas report details crash that killed Green Country basketball players, coach

"Coach made us take this picture on the way out Saturday night. We were 3-0 on the weekend, and he wanted us to know the goal was 4-0. Jaimon put this team together with the help of Wayne. We were lead by our floor general Kyrin, and we got our energy from our state championship DJ. We will miss these giants!"

Dear Booker T. Washington High School Families:

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of a student from our Hornet family. Yesterday, Donald “DJ” Laster tragically passed away in a car accident. We have been in communication with DJ’s family and will share more information as it is available and appropriate. This accident also touched our community in a number of additional ways, as it claimed lives of others known to our students and team members from middle school, as basketball teammates, and as beloved members of our extended family across Tulsa.

It is difficult for all of us to face the death of a child or trusted adult. Throughout the day today, a response team from the district’s Student and Family Support Services and partner agencies is present in our building to provide counseling and support to any student or staff member.

Your child may be coming home with questions or worries about this loss. Please feel free to contact the school at (918) 925-1000 if you have any concerns you would like to discuss. Below, we have included a suggested resource that you may contact for immediate support.

COPES, a community crisis response unit in Tulsa, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (918)-744-4800 should you or someone you know be in need of immediate support for a mental health crisis. The service is free and available to children and adults alike. For life threatening emergencies, please call 911.

We know you join us in extending our heartfelt sympathy to all of those who have been impacted. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have concerns or questions.

Sincerely,

Dr. Woolridge and the BTW Administrative Team

Many branches of our Tulsa Public Schools family are in mourning today. In a car accident in Kansas on Sunday, we lost a young man who attended Booker T Washington High School, a friend and colleague who served for years at Carver Middle School, and a key contributor from our Transportation team. Our community lost friends, brothers, sons, and fathers. I am heartbroken for those who lost loved ones, and committed to honoring the immense collective impact each of these people had in Tulsa and in the lives of our young people. I am praying for their families and everyone involved, and hope others will continue to come alongside our students, team members, and families who are hurting.

We are heartbroken and stunned by the sudden loss of these beloved students, colleagues, and friends. They were our teammates and valued members of our community. We have been through the ups and downs of competitive sports together, and we saw them achieve great successes while also investing in others’ growth. Coach Wayne Walls inspired a generation of young people in Tulsa, using his leadership, teaching, and coaching talents to serve countless students and families. DJ Laster exhibited such bright potential, on and off the court, and had a vibrant presence in our buildings and schools. We miss them already, and mourn this tragic loss.

Dear Carver Middle School Families:

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of a former student and others from our Carver family. Yesterday a Booker T Washington High School student who previously attended Carver tragically passed away in a car accident. We have been in communication with their family and will share more information as it is available and appropriate. This accident also claimed the lives of a former Carver teacher/coach and others with connections to our school, and has touched our community in a number of tragic ways.

It is difficult for all of us to face the death of a child or a trusted adult. Throughout the day today, a response team from the district’s Student and Family Support Services and partner agencies is present in our building to provide counseling and support to any student or staff member.

Your child may be coming home with questions or worries about this loss. Please feel free to contact the school at (918) 925-1000 if you have any concerns you would like to discuss. Below, we have included a suggested resource that you may contact for immediate support.

COPES, a community crisis response unit in Tulsa, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (918)-744-4800 should you or someone you know be in need of immediate support for a mental health crisis. The service is free and available to children and adults alike. For life threatening emergencies, please call 911.

We know you join us in extending our heartfelt sympathy to all of those who have been impacted. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have concerns or questions.

Sincerely,
Principal Parnosky

This is such a devastating tragedy, and two good people are gone way too young! Wayne Walls’ actions showed he cared for his students – as students, athletes, and young people. DJ always tried his best; he was a student who had the potential to do whatever he wanted to do. I pray for all the families involved in this terrible incident.

It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I share the news of the tragic passing of one of our 9th grade students who died in a car accident yesterday. On behalf of the entire Union Public Schools community, I extend our deepest condolences to the student’s family, friends, and loved ones.

We have activated our crisis response team and are providing additional counseling resources at the Union Freshman Academy and across the district. Licensed counselors, school psychologists, and support staff are available to meet with anyone who may need help processing this tragedy.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family, and everyone affected by this tragic event.