Morgan Hill police detectives say they have made some progress
in locating the driver of an SUV allegedly involved in a high-speed
car racing accident on Butterfield Boulevard June 11 that took
tragically ended the life of a local young man.
Morgan Hill – Morgan Hill police detectives say they have made some progress in locating the driver of an SUV allegedly involved in a high-speed car racing accident on Butterfield Boulevard June 11 that took tragically ended the life of a local young man.
“We are still investigating the Schindler crash, trying to establish a possible person,” Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Joe Sampson said. “We are moving forward.”
The SUV was allegedly racing a Ford Mustang driven by Nicholas Schindler, 20, at speeds of more than 70 mph northbound on Butterfield Boulevard, when, according to witnesses, the driver of the SUV alleged “cut off” the Mustang, forcing Schindler to swerve to the left into the median. The Mustang went airborne, and Schindler, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected through his side window. The vehicles had just passed the San Pedro intersection.
The Mustang ended up resting against a tree in the median; Schindler came to rest in the southbound lanes with severe head injuries.
Schindler remained in a coma for two weeks at Valley Medical Center while community members rallied around his family, his parents, Carl and Teri, his twin David and his younger brother Michael.
Early Sunday morning, “Nick,” as he was known to family and friends, was taken off life support and died four hours later.
Sampson said the driver of the SUV could face possible manslaughter charges, depending on the results of the investigation. Anyone with information about the accident or the SUV is asked to contact the local police department’s traffic division at (408) 779-2101.
A makeshift memorial sprang up Monday in the bare spot in the median, where the Mustang took out five elm trees and an irrigation pipe before stopping against another tree. A small cross, flowers and balloons decorate the site of the accident.
The Schindler family will have a private “Celebration of Life” to honor Nick on July 16 for family and friends.
Schindler and his brother, David, graduated from Live Oak High School in 2003. Both played on the varsity boys’ basketball team. Coach Brett Paolucci remembers the twins as good players who contributed a lot to the team, not just their basketball skills.
Nick’s parents said the twins had just completed their junior year at California State University-Monterey Bay, where they shared a room together. His parents added that Nick was excited about his summer job as a counselor at the Mt. Madonna YMCA and his part-time position at Lowe’s.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at md****@mo*************.com.
