A Menlo School sophomore died Monday night, Jan. 18, from injuries he sustained in a car crash in Menlo Park over the holiday weekend, according to the Atherton school.
Michael Enright, 16, of Portola Valley was one of three teens in an SUV that rolled over in the Sharon Heights neighborhood Saturday afternoon, Jan. 16, near the intersection of Valparaiso and Altschul avenues. Police identified Enright as the driver of the SUV, which apparently hit a light pole, according to fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District and Menlo Park Police Department spokesperson Nicole Acker.
He was surrounded by family when he died at 5:30 p.m. on Monday after being taken off of life support, according to the school and Acker.
“Michael was a witty, interesting, and insightful student who had a unique perspective and bravely spoke his mind,” Menlo School said in a Jan. 19 statement. “As a freshman, he was also a member of last year’s undefeated JV football team where he showed his resiliency and determination and worked hard to gain the respect and love of his teammates.”
Menlo Park firefighters said they found two people trapped inside the SUV and a third who had been ejected lying in the street near the sheered-off light pole. Crews stabilized the upside-down car and used the Jaws of Life to extricate the trapped occupants, the fire district said. The passengers were a 16-year-old male from Menlo Park and a 15-year-old female from Woodside.
Enright and another victim were taken to Stanford Hospital with life-threatening injuries, Acker said. The third victim was taken to the hospital with injuries considered serious, but not life-threatening, she said.
Menlo School, a private school located in Atherton, noted that the Enright family has been a part of its school community for more than four decades.
“The entire Menlo community is deeply saddened by this tragic loss and our hearts go out to the entire Enright family,” according to the school.
Schapelhouman said the Sharon Hills Park area where the accident occurred is a “significantly steep section of road for this area that slightly winds about with some pedestrian traffic at times.”
The crash is still under investigation, but a witness alleges the vehicle was being driven at a high rate of speed, Acker said. It hasn’t been determined if drugs or alcohol were involved, she said.
Email Angela Swartz at aswartz@almanacnews.com
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