High School Football Team Honors Stamford Crash Victims

STAMFORD, CT — The Stamford High School football team will honor the memory of two student-athletes killed in a crash last month. NiShawn Tolliver, 18, and Kymani Pollack, 19, were both passengers in a 2008 Nissan Altima that struck and knocked down two utility poles on Canal Street on Aug. 26.

The Black Knights will honor both teens with decals on the back of each player's helmets, one that reads "NT" for Tolliver and a "12" for Pollack, according to a post on the team's Twitter page.

Patch has reached out to Stamford Public Schools for comment.

According to Sgt. Jeffrey Booth, the August crash occurred just north of the Canal Street junction with Ludlow Street. After the vehicle hit the two poles and came to a stop, three people were able get out of the car, but three were trapped inside due to live electrical wires falling on top of the vehicle, Booth said.

See also: 2 Teens Killed, 4 Seriously Injured In Stamford Crash

Firefighters had to wait for Eversource to de-energize the lines before they were able to rescue two of them. The third person, later identified as Pollack, was pronounced dead at the scene, Booth said. The other five Stamford teens were taken to Stamford Hospital, where 18-year-old NiShawn Tolliver was pronounced dead, Booth said.

"Our hearts are heavy today as our Black Knights family mourns the losses of one of our current student-athletes, as well as one of our alumni student-athletes," the team said in a Facebook post the night of the crash. "Thank you all for your kind words of support."

The driver, 18-year-old Jerry Diaz, was taken to the hospital in critical condition, however hospital officials later said his condition had improved to fair, the Stamford Advocate reports.

Alontia Moore, 20, was taken to the hospital in serious condition, however she was later listed in good condition by the hospital, according to the Advocate. Amaiya Callahan and Erica Stephens, both 19, were also taken to the hospital, Booth said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Pollack's family. As of Tuesday evening, the page has raised nearly $9,000 toward a $15,000 goal.