16-year-old killed in crash with semi, police say. ‘Massive hole in all our hearts’
A Louisiana community is mourning the loss of a beloved teen who died in a wreck.
Louisiana state troopers say 16-year-old Christian Tullis of Slidell died shortly before 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, after he struck the back of a Freightliner 18-wheeler on Interstate 12 near Louisiana Highway 434 in St. Tammany Parish.
Tullis was wearing his seat belt, but he sustained critical injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene, according to a Nov. 12 news release from troopers. The truck driver was uninjured and is not suspected of impairment.
The crash is under investigation, troopers said.
The teen leaves behind his parents and three siblings, a family member said in a Facebook post.
“Christian was so loved by so many and will leave a massive hole in all our hearts,” the post said.
Tullis was a junior at Pope John Paul II High School, WDSU reported.
Tullis’ parents are volleyball coaches at the school, according to a Facebook post from a friend. On Saturday, the girl’s volleyball team, which Tullis’ sister plays on, competed in the state championship game, according to NOLA.com
His sister said the game was dedicated to him and the team wore bows with his initials in their hair, the outlet reported.
“I have no words. There are none to be said,” the friend wrote in his post.
Other friends shared tributes for Tullis on social media.
“This is so unreal,” one user captioned an Instagram post. “I am so thankful for every single second I had with him. His big smile and contagious laugh made every issue in my life fade instantly.”
“He was just an absolute gem from his bigger than life smile and hilarious yet kind personality to his undeniable Tullis athletic ability. This one hurts,” another Instagram post says.
The high school said in a Facebook post that “as a community we are all mourning the loss” of Tullis, who it described as a “faith filled, joyful, and comedic friend, teammate, student, brother, and son.”
“We will always carry his kind and loving spirit with us everyday,” the school said. “To the Tullis family, we love you and will be here every step of the way.”
Counselors will be available on campus, WDSU reported.
St. Tammany Parish is about 80 miles west of Biloxi, Mississippi.
This story was originally published November 13, 2022 at 11:05 AM with the headline "16-year-old killed in crash with semi, police say. ‘Massive hole in all our hearts’."
