MIDDLETON, Idaho — As the Middleton community mourns the death of 14-year-old Carson Chrapkowski, neighbors and families are finding ways to support one another and his family.
Chrapkowski, a Middleton High School student, died Saturday after he was injured in an e-bike and vehicle crash near the school Friday night.
The Ada County Coroner’s Office said on Tuesday that Chrapkowski was the sole rider of the e-bike.
Since the crash, members of the Middleton community have stepped up in different ways. One of the first efforts involved clearing weeds from sidewalks near the school to make the path safer for students.
Kassie Knapp, a Middleton High mom, organized the effort after recognizing a hazard that students had long known about. Goatheads, a weed common to the area, had overtaken the sidewalks near the school and are known to pop bike tires.
"I just wanted to do anything I could to help, you know, make other kids safe and come together as a community," Knapp said.
She and another mom, Jessie, along with their kids, cleared the sidewalks on both sides of the street.
"We did this whole sidewalk to the end of the street on both sides, and then along down over to where the end of the sidewalk is over here," Knapp said.
WATCH: Neighbors help make the path safer for students:
In court on Monday, defense attorney Matt Lovell also cited goatheads as a possible reason children may ride in the street instead of on the sidewalk.
"There's a community problem in Middleton with kids riding on the street because there's so many goatheads on the sidewalks," said Lovell.
WATCH: $1 million bond set for driver charged in crash that killed Middleton student
Back in the neighborhood, Middleton mom, Casey Frediani, is using her custom apparel-making skills to support Carson's family financially.
"I'm only taking my costs and I am giving back the rest of it to the family," Frediani said.
Carson was a member of the Middleton High School freshman football team. As the school marks homecoming week, students and staff are being encouraged to support his teammates at Thursday night's freshman game.
For Knapp, the tragedy carries an added layer of grief. She also knows the mother who has been charged in connection with the collision.
"That's one thing that's hard is I know the driver, which just surprised me because she's an amazing mom," Knapp said.
Knapp said she hopes the community will be mindful of the families on all sides of the tragedy.
"It just saddens me. I get it. I get everyone's upset. I'm with them, but at the same time, like, leave the kids out of it, leave her family out of it," Knapp said.
The freshman football game is at 5 p.m. on Thursday, and the public is invited to attend and support the team.
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