Jenna Pizzi, Alonzo Small, and Brittany Horn

The News Journal

Five people were involved in a crash late Friday near U.S. 301 in southern New Castle County.

Authorities have identified one killed as Tyler Brown, 17, a student at Salesianum School.

The incident involved a pickup and a tractor-trailer and is under investigation.

Classmates, teachers and friends are remembering Tyler Brown, a senior at the Salesianum School in Wilmington, as an outstanding student, athlete, artist and dedicated friend.

Brown was killed late Friday night in a crash near Middletown that left four others injured.

“He always had a big grin on his face,” said Christopher Wells, who coached Brown on the rugby team.

The team was set to play in a rugby match Saturday in Maryland, but after hearing about Brown’s death, they decided not to play.

“He always was fun-loving and always seemed to bring a smile to the faces of those around him,” Wells said.

Brown, from Woolwich Township, New Jersey, across the river from Wilmington, had plans to attend Syracuse University in New York this fall and study architectural design. In addition to rugby, Brown was a wrestler, played lacrosse and participated in Model United Nations.

Brown’s art teacher, Brian Magargal, said Brown had worked so hard to get into Syracuse, his number one choice.

“He had never picked up a paintbrush before last fall, but he wanted to go in for architecture. The good architecture schools ask for an art portfolio, so he came to me and asked for help,” said Magargal.

Magargal soon found Brown had a natural talent. Brown was working on a very large painting, a streetscape he was painting from a photo he took of a town in New Jersey, which is about three-quarters of the way finished, Magargal said.

“I think the students want to have their hands at completing the painting for Tyler,” Magargal said.

Salesianum School held a Mass Saturday evening and more than 600 people prayed together for Brown and for the recovery of John W. Kirsch and Kelley Muschiatti, who were injured in the crash and are in critical condition.

Magargal said Brown’s artwork was displayed in the gymnasium.

"We will turn to God in our grief and sadness," Beretta wrote. "Although faith offers no easy answers at a time like this, we believe that Christ will never abandon us."

Attendees of the service walked up stairs to the brick entrance of the school to the gymnasium. One mother walked with her son, who was visibly upset. Her son and the teen killed were teammates on the wrestling team, she said.

Girls from Padua Academy attended the service as well, and people continued to arrive for about 40 minutes after the Mass started.

“It really kind of just showed the diverse kind of interests he had,” said Brendan Kennealey, president of the school. “I think everybody, at least everybody here today, likes to talk about the memories of him and the little things he’d do make you smile, or make you laugh in class or in the halls. Just listening to those guys line up and say to Tyler’s mom that ‘your son did something every day to make me smile and laugh at least once,’ you just hope that that’s a great consolation to his family to know that although this is way too soon to be saying goodbye that he made a difference in the lives of a lot of people.”

Those antics are what Brown’s wrestling teammate Logan Montgomery will miss the most, he said.

Montgomery remembered Brown’s accomplishment in January, when he grew a mustache for “Manuary” during the season. Motgomery said Brown brought a humor and passion to his life that is rare.

Riley Montgomery, a fellow senior who wrestled with Brown all four years of high school, said his teammate was one of the nicest, down-to-earth people he ever met.

“He was pretty shy when I first met him,” Riley Montgomery said, “but once you started talking to him, he really opened up.”

Colin Filliben, who said his brother knew Brown, said the scene was solemn.

"It was pretty emotional inside," he said after the Mass.

"He was a great guy," Filliben said. "He was nice and funny."

Memorium: Tyler Brown '16

The crash that killed Brown occurred along U.S. Route 301 near Strawberry Lane just after 11:30 p.m., said State Police Sgt. Richard Bratz. The rural street connects the suburbs near Middletown and Townsend to the small town of Warwick, Maryland.

Brown was in the passenger seat of a 2005 Dodge Dakota, driven by John, W. Kirsch, who is also a senior at Salesianum. Kelly Muschiatti, 17, was in the rear passenger seat of the truck during the crash. Both are in critical condition at Christiana Hospital, Bratz said.

Muschiatti, a senior at Padua Academy in Wilmington, participates in track and field, Cindy Mann, the head of school, said in a statement.

“Kelly is a very beloved student and a gifted Padua athlete,” said Mann. “Our students are sisters and as sisters we will remain strong for Kelly and her family. She is precious to all of us.”

Muschiatti's track coach Marnie Giunta said she and the entire track team is praying for Muschiatti.

"I know Kelly is a fighter," Giunta said in an email. "She is strong. Her strength is displayed every day in how she practices and her sheer toughness is demonstrated in every competition. I only wish I could put on her uniform top as she fights to come back to us because there is something about wearing that 'P' that brings out the best in these girls."

Padua Academy is also gathering in prayer for Muschiatti and the others. The school chapel will be open Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for students and alumnae wishing to join the school in prayer. A prayer service will be held on Monday morning at the school for Muschiatti, Brown and Kirsch.

Bratz said the pickup truck drove from the stop sign on Strawberry Lane and attempted to cross all of the lanes of U.S. 301 when the truck collided with a Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by Julio Gallegos, 52, of New Jersey.

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The tractor-trailer hit the right passenger side of the truck in the intersection, sending the truck spinning, Bratz said. The tractor-trailer came to a rest turned over on its left side, he said.

Both Gallegos and his passenger, Carolina Garcia, 30, of Middletown, had serious injuries and were transported to Christiana Hospital. Their conditions are unknown.

Kirsch was treated at the scene by New Castle County paramedics for a chest injury and a possible head injury before being transported to Christiana Hospital.

Muschiatti was treated at the scene for head and facial injuries and was airlifted to Christiana Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

State Police continue to investigate the accident.

A number of accidents have occurred along U.S. Route 301 in recent years including some that left drivers injured and vehicles destroyed. Many of those crashes involved tractor-trailers as the road sees frequent truck traffic.

The roadway is slated to begin a $70 million makeover in the coming months as it is transformed into a multi-lane toll road. Transportation officials with the state have said the new route will provide an express connection between Del. 1 and the Maryland boarder and move heavy truck traffic onto the new road.

Contact Jenna Pizzi at jpizzi@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2837. Follow her on Twitter @JennaPizzi.