Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

For Burlco school, Route 206 fatality is second big blow

Students and faculty at a Pemberton Township middle school who just last week dealt with the death of an eighth-grader, injured in a car accident, mourned again Friday for a teacher who was fatally struck by a vehicle while jogging in Southampton Township on Thursday.

Allison McGinnis (Courtesy: Pemberton Township Schools)
Allison McGinnis (Courtesy: Pemberton Township Schools)Read more

Students and faculty at a Pemberton Township middle school who just last week dealt with the death of an eighth-grader, injured in a car accident, mourned again Friday for a teacher who was fatally struck by a vehicle while jogging in Southampton Township on Thursday.

Allison McGinnis, 29, of Southampton, taught English and language arts to seventh and eighth graders at Helen Fort/Newcomb Middle School.

She had been part of the grief team at the school after one of her incoming students, Janiya Castleberry, 13, died Aug. 20. Castleberry was in an accident several weeks before and had been in a coma before she died, district officials said.

"It's been a tough time," said Michael Pinto, a spokesman for Pemberton Township schools.

McGinnis was jogging to the side of southbound traffic on Route 206, in the same direction as the traffic, when a pickup truck in the northbound lane crossed the dividing line and struck her around 2 p.m. Thursday, state police said. The truck then struck several trees and overturned.

A passenger, David Eldridge, 31, of Wrightstown, was killed. The driver, Patrick Miller, 28, of New Hanover, was transported to Cooper University Hospital, where he remained in critical condition Friday afternoon.

Eldridge is listed on Facebook as the owner of Hard Knocks Sportfishing in Brick, N.J.

A phone number for the business went straight to voice mail Friday, and Eldridge's mother declined to speak when reached by phone. A number for Miller could not be located.

Authorities are investigating why Miller's vehicle crossed the dividing line. No charges have been filed.

McGinnis, who received her master of science in teaching degree from Rowan University in 2009, had taught at Helen Fort/Newcomb for a year and would have returned next Thursday, when new classes begin.

She previously worked as a fifth-grade teacher at Lindenwold Middle School.

"Allison swept into Helen Fort like a ray of sunshine," colleague Debra Kerner said in a statement released by the district Friday. "No one was left untouched by the warmth of her smile."

Superintendent Tony Trongone expressed condolences for McGinnis' family.

"Our close-knit community will get through this by supporting one another," he said.

McGinnis' father, when reached by phone Friday, declined to speak, requesting privacy.

On a blog that McGinnis wrote, titled "Ms. McGinnis' Blog," she expressed her passion for teaching.

"My past experiences have led me to believe that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching that will effectively result in successfully educating all children," she said. "However, I firmly believe that teachers are able to make powerful, positive changes to their teaching that allow all students the ability to access learning, understanding, and achievement."

The district will offer counseling services on Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the middle school at 301 Fort Dix Rd. A vigil for both McGinnis and Castleberry will be held at a date that officials have not yet determined.