by Islands’ Sounder Staff Reporters
It’s one of the worst accidents Lopez Island has seen in years – and it involves a local high school student.
“We walk around going ‘how do we prevent this?’” Lopez Fire Chief Jim Ghiglione said during a community meeting sponsored by the school this week. “Only one month ago, the chief and the deputy were speaking to the young people. This is my message: we hope this never happens again.”
Ghiglione also spoke of the grief his EMTs and firefighters are experiencing after responding to the call of the deadly collision.
“We had 25 to 30 people helping with this event and then dealing with the after-effects has been difficult,” he said.
On Sunday, July 26, Paul Jaholkowsky, 26, was southbound and jogging on Lopez Sound Road at about 2:30 p.m. when, according to local authorities, he was struck head-on by a Chevy sedan driven by a 15-year-old Lopez boy. He was heading north at a high-rate of speed, with a 17-year-old friend in the front passenger seat. Authorities believe that Jaholkowsky, who is from British Columbia, died instantly.
Moments before Jaholkowsky was struck and killed, a Seattle family of four, also southbound at the time, narrowly escaped being mowed down as the 1974 Chevy Nova came up over a slight rise and bore down in their direction. The sedan barreled through the family, clipping the couple’s 7-year-old daughter, who was later flown to Harborview Medical Center with wrist and hand injuries. The sedan then struck Jaholkowsky, the driver lost control, and the Chevy then slammed twice into an embankment before coming to a stop.
The 17-year-old passenger was in Harborview Medical Center and is now at home. The boy struck the windshield with his head and was also thrown from the vehicle when the sedan slammed into the embankment. The 15-year-old, allegedly behind the wheel at the time of the fatal collision, was released to his parents late Sunday and charges are pending.
The town hall meeting was attended by more than 100 island residents, who asked questions of the panel, which included Superintendent Linda Martin, Principal Mark Vermeer, and several school counselors, deputies, and paramedics.
“It is an important step in the healing process for people to be at this meeting,” Deputy Sheriff Rob Nou said. “We can work our way through this, and heal, and come out better and stronger on the other end.”
Principal Vermeer, who is from San Juan Island, spoke about his own experience with student accidents.
“This is a very small, tight community,” he said. “We will come together around this issue. We will support these two young people when they return. It’s important to be supportive to the two victims of this tragedy, by contacting them and speaking with them, and to the people who have been impacted.”
Several of the counselors in attendance encouraged community members to seek help in dealing with their emotions. After the meeting, many went to the library for smaller counseling sessions.
“We should try to not hold judgment about what has happened,” Jeanna Carter, school counselor, said. “We will be angry, confused and upset. It’s expressing those feelings that is important. As a community, we must be here for each other. It’s important to have access to counselors as well.”
Counselor Paul Lewis echoed her sentiments.
“We are at a very tender time so I would encourage gentleness at this time,” he said. “We can work together and brainstorm to come up with a way to deal with this as a community. Facebook is a great way of sharing info but there is inaccurate information being shared. I make the cautionary note to not spread information that may be sensitive to the families who are involved directly in this tragedy.”
Contacting the family
Cards may be sent to Paul Jaholkowsky’s family via his church at the following address:
Level Ground Mennonite Church
31216 King Rd.
Abbotsford, BC CANADA
V2T 6C2.
