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Eastern Michigan football recruit Elijah Berman was killed in a motorcycle crash involving a semitruck Tuesday evening, according to officials. He was just 17.
Berman, a member of the college football team’s 2026 recruiting class, was riding a 2006 Suzuki DL1000 in Franklin, Ohio, when he was struck by a semitruck at around 5:12 p.m., the Ohio State Highway Patrol said in a news release.
An Eastern Michigan Eagles helmet and shoulder pads before a game against the Western Michigan Broncos Oct. 8, 2022, at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Mich. (Getty Images)
According to law enforcement, the truck, driven by 41-year-old Anthony Allen of Roseville, Michigan, was coming off a ramp from Interstate 75 north when the truck “struck the motorcycle in the intersection.” The semitruck also hit a raised median divider before overturning.
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Berman was transported to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Allen received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said the crash remains under investigation.
News of Berman’s death shocked his hometown community and the college football community.
Eastern Michigan Eagles head coach Chris Creighton during a game against the Toledo Rockets Nov. 2, 2024, at Rynearson Stadium on Crosby Field in Ypsilanti, Mich. (Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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“We are mourning the passing of Elijah Berman,” Eastern Michigan head coach Chris Creighton said in a post on X.
“Our thoughts & prayers are with his mother Heather, current teammates, family & friends. Elijah was ultra talented, yet it was his big heart, infectious smile, & awesome personality that made us fall in love with him. RIP Elijah.”
Berman was a student at Julienne Catholic High School, where he was a member of the school’s football and track teams.
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“Eli knew what it meant to be an Eagle and made an impact anywhere and everywhere he went. He was a leader on the football field and track, an Eagle Ambassador, a big brother in our Little Sibs program, and a strong student with a big personality. He had just accepted an offer to chase his dreams and play college football at Eastern Michigan University,” the school said in a statement on Facebook.
Eastern Michigan University’s Rynearson Football Stadium. (Getty Images)
“Today, and in the days, weeks, and months that follow, we ask our community to please keep Eli’s family, friends, and all who loved him in your prayers as we hold on to each other during this heartbreaking time. May God’s peace surround us all, especially #55.”
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