SUNY Farmingdale Student Fatally Run Over by Garbage Truck

The first day of summer session at SUNY Farmingdale saw a tragic accident where a 19-year-old girl was killed and a fellow student left in critical condition after they were backed over by a garbage truck while on campus. The victim, Kaeli Sarah Kramer of Huntington, was beginning a class she was taking over the summer after just finishing her first year at a college in New Jersey. Kramer had graduated as valedictorian in 2008 form Knox School in St. James. Police are still investigating, but a spokesperson for the truck's company said that the alarm that rings while the front-loading truck backs up was working and had gone off—police returned the truck to the company after inspecting it following the accident. The second victim was 21-year-old Aresh Saqib, a third year student in construction management, who is in critical but stable condition with a broken pelvis. The driver of the truck finally stopped after spotting Saqib in the side view mirror on his hands and knees screaming. He did not face any charges and was treated for emotional distress.

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By Billy Parker in News on May 27, 2009 12:32 PM

Comments [rss]

Antonio

Sorry for your loss and please don't pay any mind to the negative comments.

CC

First of all, I knew Kaeli. She was an amazing, sweet, smart, and talented girl. Thanks to all of you that are giving your sympathy and well-wishes. For those of you that are saying horrible, nasty things, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Kaeli did nothing wrong and if you're absolutely disgusting for saying such ridiculous things about her and the accident. I can't imagine what kind of piece of shit person talks like you do. Grow up.

jaycjay

CC, since it appears that you registered just to post that, I'm sorry you happened to read what's here. The "Gothamist commenter" culture is like that at many similar sites; it's a home to many people who put much energy into negativity, insults at every opportunity, and small-minded bigotry.

For some reason, they find that entertaining.

But, thankfully, what you may read here or elsewhere online will not affect what you know of your friend, who by all reports seems to have been a special young woman who had a promising life ahead of her. This is sad news. Best wishes and sympathy to you and all of Kaeli's friends and family.

Spirit of 76

The victim's poor family is going through enough without inconsiderate dolts making anonymous crass statements about her.

rasputinsghost

I like how people can manage to badmouth a traffic accident victim, and smugly at that...and assuming that somehow she was at fault. I hope when "Path to Wisdom" kicks the bucket some smug internet moron has a good laugh over him.

Dead Himmler

That was mean and in bad taste. You really shouldn't write stuff like that because of the whole karma thing.

PathToWisdom

Number 1 in her school class.

But she never learned how to cross the street properly ?

Does she know how to cross the street ?

Oh, her teachers didn't give that lesson

Her teachers thought her mother taught her the method used

to cross a street and not get run over.

So that wasn't in the curriculum

jaycjay

Right. That's what happened. She never learned to cross a street.

You must be on a very long path.

DanielJ

Is that a Dharma Initiative shirt she's wearing?

r1b2

This is an unimaginable tragedy for her family and her community.

schadenfreudian mensch

My guess is that she had those iLemming earphone shoved so far inside her ear and blasting it at full tilt she didn't know what hit her.

hotstepper

this seems to be a horrible accident where a promising youth's life was snuffed out. and you seem to be a vindictive ass.

Endless Ike

Are there any po-dunk towns in this state that DON'T ahve a SUNY campus?

RooseveltIsland360

For years a number of Long Island based students from Eastern Nassau and Suffolk take various Summer classes at Framingdale to pick up a few extra credits as much of the coursework is accepted at various colleges and universities as transferable credit.

JenChungsBaby

I saw that picture and for a second thought that Jen got hurt.

A former valedictorian went to SUNY Farmingdale?

Spirit of 76

No, she was doing a summer session in Farmingdale. She spent her freshman year in NJ. Princeton?

Damn shame such a promising life was cut so short. I would guess she was too close to the truck and had no time to react and/or the driver backed up too quickly.