What started as a quick snack run turned into a tragedy that has shaken a Taylor neighborhood to its core. Family, friends and neighbors are mourning 11-year-old Jacob Robinson, who was struck and killed by a vehicle last Tuesday while walking home along Eureka Road.
Jacob, a sixth-grader, was hit on the busy stretch of road as he returned from a nearby store. Loved ones gathered over the weekend near the crash site, leaving flowers, hand-written notes and other tributes to the boy whose life was suddenly cut short. Police say the driver stayed at the scene, and investigators currently do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved. The case remains under active investigation.
According to FOX 2 Detroit, Jacob left his apartment shortly after 6 p.m. to grab snacks. His mother, Tonoya Robinson, told reporters she had spoken with him only minutes before she heard sirens outside. First responders performed CPR at the scene and rushed him to a hospital, where he later died. The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses.
CBS Detroit reports the collision happened near the intersection of Eureka and Inkster roads, a heavily traveled corridor lined with apartments, strip malls and other businesses. Taylor police say the driver who hit Jacob remained at the scene and has been cooperating as officers review witness accounts and available video. Authorities are urging people to use the marked crosswalks on Inkster Road whenever possible.
Calls For Crosswalks Grow
Jacob’s mother and nearby residents say the area where he was hit needs a safer way to cross that stretch of Eureka, especially for kids who walk to stores and schools. As noted by WXYZ, Mayor Tim Woolley said crosswalks are located about a quarter-mile west and nearly a half-mile east of the crash site, and he plans to discuss possible safety upgrades with county officials. Neighbors and apartment managers in the area have been calling for better lighting, flashing beacons or a traffic signal to get drivers to slow down.
School And Community Response
Ecorse Public Schools confirmed that Jacob was a sixth-grader at Grandport Academy and announced that grief counselors would be available to support students and staff, according to ClickOnDetroit. Over the weekend, classmates, friends and neighbors created a small memorial outside the family’s apartment complex, leaving pairs of shoes, cards and other tokens of remembrance. Community members say the boy’s death has intensified long-standing demands for pedestrian safety improvements along Eureka.
Investigation Ongoing
Police say alcohol and narcotics are not believed to be factors in the crash, and that the driver, identified as a Plymouth resident, called 911 and cooperated with officers at the scene, according to WWJ Newsradio 950. Investigators continue to interview witnesses and examine physical and video evidence as they work to piece together exactly what happened. The Taylor Police Department has asked anyone with additional information to contact detectives.
The GoFundMe campaign created by Jacob’s mother has raised more than $11,000 for funeral costs, according to the page on GoFundMe. Neighbors say they plan to keep pressing city and county officials in the coming weeks for tangible changes along Eureka Road so that, in their words, no other family has to endure a loss like this.
