DURHAM, N.C. (WPTF) – A grandson of former Duke Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski now faces felony charges in that April fatal crash at the intersection of Cole Mill Road and West Wyndham Lane.
Joseph Savarino, 25, of Durham faces charges of Felony Death by Motor Vehicle, Involuntary Manslaughter and Failure to Reduce Speed.
Just before 9 p.m. on April 18th, a 15-year-old male juvenile was using an e-bike to travel northwest on Cole Mill Road when he reportedly entered in the path of a Ford Explorer who was traveling in the same direction. The juvenile was struck by the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
According to court records in Durham County, Savarino admitted to drinking before the incident Saturday night and a Breathalyzer test measured his blood-alcohol concentration at 0.11%. The legal limit is 0.08%.
In a Facebook post, the family identified the victim as 15-year-old Jack O’Shea:
“We are finding comfort in what was his last perfect day. He woke up and asked to go to confession at Immaculate Conception Church. He then played two baseball games with his high school team, where he did what he always did — showed up fully and excelled at first base. Later, he went on his usual afternoon bike ride with friends. As he was coming back into our neighborhood, he was involved in an accident and was hit by a car. Jesus took him immediately,” his mother Allison Bickel O’Shea posted on the platform.
“We will never understand why his time here was so short or why he was needed so soon, but we have to hold onto our faith that he is now our angel. We are better people because of him, and we will carry him with us always. The depth of this grief is beyond anything we could have ever imagined. This is a club no parent ever wants to be part of.”
In November, 2021, another grandson of the former Duke coach, Michael Savarino was charged with DWI and driving after consuming alcohol while under 21. Savarino, then a junior guard for Duke and a walk-on, was pulled over near Durham for running a stop sign. Duke teammate and future No. 1 NBA draft pick Paolo Banchero was a passenger in the vehicle and was charged with aiding and abetting impaired driving, charges which were later dropped.
In July 2022, Michael Savarino pleaded guilty to DWI, resulting in 12 months of probation and 24 hours of community service. Following the incident, Savarino completed his community service, transferred from Duke to New York University to finish his playing career.