According to reports and Facebook wall posts, UT junior Erik Nicoletti passed away late Sunday. Nicoletti and his friend were sent to the hospital just after they were both victims of a hit-and-run early Saturday morning. Tampa Police Detectives have arrested someone that they believe was responsible for the incident.
Late Sunday, Tampa Police arrested Andre Trujillo, 27 and charged him with leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injuries.
As soon as the news of Nicoletti’s death reached the UT community, his Facebook wall began filling with posts from close friends, classmates and professors.
“Erik, I’m missing seeing you around already…Rest in Peace buddy, ” wrote Tyler Pauvlin on Nicoletti’s wall.
“This can’t be true. Erik, you were too, too good to go this soon. I know you are in a better place, and I can only dream of the day I will walk with you again,” wrote Gretchin Devine.
The wall posts continued. Even a UT professor posted.
“This is devastating. You will be missed. Lots of Love my brother! My deepest sympathy and earnest prayers to the Nicoletti’s. Erik was a rockstar, stay strong and proud. He made us all proud,” wrote Tom Garrett, assistant professor of communication.
Nicoletti, 21, a film and media arts major and his friend Cree Riley, 19 who was visiting Nicoletti from out of town, were walking on the north sidewalk along Kennedy Boulevard near North Boulevard when a vehicle swerved onto the sidewalk and hit them around 1 a.m. According to reports, Riley is still in critical condition.
The car, reported to be a gray sedan traveling west on Kennedy Boulevard, fled the scene of the accident. Investigators located the vehicle late Saturday and made the arrest late Sunday.
Keep checking www.theminaretonline.com for updates on this story.
A response to the Concerned Students Assoc:
Actually, UT used to be patrolled by the Tampa Police Dept. before the university was forced to hire a private security force. This was NOT the decision of UT, but rather the TPD. The Tampa Police Dept. stated that it was no longer in their budget to patrol a private university. So stop blaming UT, and contact the Mayor of Tampa and the Chief of Police.
Gregory D. White, B.A. – UT class of 1997
Ms. Nicoletti,
If you (or the family of Erik’s friend) need any advice in legal counsel in the Tampa area, please post again and I will get you my email address and or phone number.
I am the UT alum that was hit by a car in nearly the exact same spot this past April.
This incident has hit me so very close to home and I am unbelievably distraught and traumatized all over again. It would mean a great deal to me to help your family in any way possible.
Erik you will be greatly missed. I always looked forward to seeing your face inside and outside of class. You were not only absolutely gorgeous, friendly, funny but incredibly intelligent as well. Having you leave this earth so early is such a great loss.
Words cannot even begin to express our sorrows for the Nicoletti family. You are in our hearts and prayers. This is such a tragic event but I hope Mrs. & Mr. Nicoletti are able to see what a remarkable son they have raised and witness the lives that he has touched around him because he truly was a wonderful person.
Hi Dorothy,
Michael and I send our condolences. We are distraught and just can’t believe this has happened to our cousin, I just can’t stop crying!!! I have requested you on FB and have posted pictures of Erik. You are all in our prayers and if you need anything we are here for you 200% if not more. We love you dearly
Rachel Falcon
Thank you all for your prayers and support and especially your kind words about Erik. He was a shining star and did only good for everyone he knew.
We are hurting so much now and are only being held together by all of you.
God bless you all,
Dorothy, Jose & Julie Nicoletti
Dear UT Deans, Security, TPD, etc.
You guys need to really open your eyes. There have never been this many accidents in one semester and i dont care how many times you say you are doing something. Nothing is being done. Do you really think that keeping a security guard INSIDE each dorm room overnight does anything? On average- i pass maybe ONE security guard on a cart late at night. This needs to change. You guys need to open your eyes and blame LESS on students and maybe take a look at what’s wrong with the school. Nobody feels safe walking around- whether its from a car, or a mugger. You say our campus is closed and secure? You have to be kidding me. Any stranger can freely walk in on the one of many entrances and exits. Wake up. It’s time to change things.
My deepest prayers go out to Erik’s family. This is such a terrible tragedy. Rest in peace Erik- only the good die young. You will be greatly missed.
I am heartbroken for Erik and his family, and for the entire student body of UT. As his professor for World Cinema, I recognized Erik as a fine young man who was also a good student in my class. As a parent and grandparent, I consider all my students my children and feel a special responsibility for them. My heart goes out to his parents and other family members; it is unimaginable what they are going through now and we all need to provide whatever help and comfort we possibly can.
Something needs to be done. The amount of crime this semester far surpasses the norm and you would think we’re in a large inner city.
These past instances have been on or right next to campus. I’ve been in the areas many times myself. I can’t even walk alone on my own campus anymore. Tampa needs to take action to crack down on these horrible acts. We’re losing too many great kids with dreams, goals and ambitions. When is someone going to stand up for us?
My heart weeps upon hearing the news of Erik’s untimely and senseless death. My prayers go out for him and his family and friends. Just by looking at his picture I can see he was an awesome young man.
I am a parent of a UT student as well as a permanent resident of a Tampa suburb. I am appalled that we have lost two young men this year by sudden acts of violence. WAKE UP TAMPA! Mrs Mayor and staff, Ms. Police chief and crew and Mr. UT President and staff please take notice and immediately make the University and area safer for all students and citizens.
As a mother I beg you and as a taxpayer I demand you.
God bless Erik, his family and friends.
I am so upset to hear this. My thoughts go out to Erik’s family and friends.
I just graduated from UT in August and in April, I was hit by a car outside of metro. I had been out on a run and was waiting for my turn to cross the street. I started to go when it was my turn, but someone in an SUV ran the red light, tossing me twenty feet into the next lane of traffic. The person who hit me swerved, which saved my life. I am so distressed to hear that Erik and his friend were not so lucky.
I can’t tell everyone out there how much this hurts me, scares me, and brings me right back to the day I was hit.
I didn’t know Erik, but I’m sure he was an amazing person who didn’t deserve this horrible, untimely fate.
My heart goes out to you, to your friends, and to your family. I think of my accident every day and how lucky I was and I just wish you had been that lucky too. I’m so sorry.
This is getting worse here at UT!!!! What and when is it going to sink in to the university president that we need a police department to handle these issues. Dr Vaughn, DO SOMETHING!!! Everything I/we keep reading you have the best resourses at your disposale now with your campus security. How hard could it be to roll that with better staffed people into a police department?! Come on Dr Vaughn; with your background in business you have to see that this would only be an assett to the university.