Motorcyclist Who Died In Crash Was Drum Assistant Principal Bryan Beale

An administrator at Drum Intermediate School died Saturday after his motorcycle struck an SUV in Tacoma.

Drum Assistant Principal Bryan Beale touched the lives of hundreds of students and their families during his four years with the University Place School District, according to a statement released by Superintendent Patti Banks.

He was also a longtime trumpet and cornet player for the Tacoma Concert Band, according to Robert Musser, the band's founder and conductor. Musser also was a professor of music who had Beale as a student while he attended the University of Puget Sound.

"Bryan is, was, and always will be a member of the band," said Musser who knew Beale for some 20 years. "A fine educator. A fine musician. And just a fine all-around person."

"This is heartbreaking," he added.

The News Tribune reported that the accident occurred shortly after 11:30 a.m., at the intersection of South 12th and South Stevens streets. Witnesses told police that the driver of the SUV ran a red light, the newspaper reported.

Beale, 37, was westbound when a southbound SUV apparently ran the light, Tacoma Police spokesman Mark Fulghum told the newspaper. Beale hit the SUV.

He was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's Medical Center about 45 minutes after the crash.

For Drum and the University Place School District, the loss will be especially hard, as Beale was a popular figure. Users have contacted Patch, talking about how they were his band students at Curtis Junior High or how he used to give snowboarding lessons at Stevens Pass.

"Many of our students will be--as we all are--shocked and saddened by this sudden loss," Banks wrote. "We will have additional counselors available at Drum tomorrow to help individual students as needed. As you talk with your child about this tragic event, please let school or district administrators know if there is anything we can do."

A makeshift memorial was built outside of Drum today.

Outside of University Place, the loss of Beale was already being felt.

"We are saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend and longtime Tacoma Concert Band member, Bryan Beale," according to the Tacoma Concert Band's Facebook page. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. You will be missed, our friend."