'Now it's our turn to be there for her'
River Hill players vow to support mom after son's death; police still probing fatal accident
By Luke Broadwater and Andrew Conrad
lbroadwater@patuxent.com
aconrad@patuxent.com
Posted 12/01/09
On the team’s Web site, she’s pictured in the middle of the class of 2010, her county championship boys huddled around her.
“She’s always been there for us,” said Thomas Neuberth, a senior captain on River Hill’s squad. “Now it’s our turn to be there for her.”
Davis’ son, Steven Dankos, a 17-year-old River Hill High senior, was killed in a single-vehicle accident Sunday morning in Ellicott City. Dankos’ teammate, senior Thomas Erdman, was seriously injured in the accident, but has since been released from the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.
The vehicle, a GMC 1500 pickup truck, was being driven by Erdman’s older brother, 22-year-old David Dixon Erdman II. David Erdman was charged with six different counts related to the fatal accident, including negligent vehicular homicide and negligent vehicular manslaughter. He posted a $10,000 bail that day.
Dankos was a guard and defensive end on the River Hill football team, which lost in the 3A state semifinal, 10-7, Friday night at Huntingtown High School, in Calvert County.
“He was a great kid, very outgoing,” Brian Van Deusen, the River Hill football coach, said of Dankos. “He was a hard worker, and he got along with everybody.”
Nick Bonhag, a senior captain on the team, said he, Dankos and the younger Erdman were best friends.
“He always made everyone happy,” he said. “He was one of the best friends you could ever ask for; he’d do anything for you.”
Driver arrested, charged
Howard County police said officers were called about the crash at 2:57 in the morning on Sunday by three different people: David Erdman, the owners of the house in front of which the truck crashed, and an anonymous caller. When police reached Folly Quarter Road and Buckskin Lake Drive, the first officer located an overturned pickup with Dankos lying next to the vehicle, according to charging documents.
Police said they determined David Erdman to be the driver of the vehicle and said they detected a “strong odor” of an alcoholic drink on his breath, charging documents state. Erdman’s eyes were also allegedly bloodshot, police said. An officer asked Erdman to perform a “field sobriety test,” which he did “unsatisfactorily,” police said.
Police declined to comment on where the three were coming from.
Officers arrested Erdman and took him to Howard County General Hospital, where his blood was tested for alcohol content. The results of that test are pending, police said.
Dankos was lying in the back flat-bed area of the pickup truck while the Erdman brothers sat in the truck’s seats, according to police. Officers said they believe Erdman was traveling on Folly Quarter Road when he lost control of the vehicle, traveled off the roadway and overturned, causing Dankos to be ejected from the truck and killed, police said.
Thomas Erdman was released from the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center on Sunday.
Police investigators are still probing the crash, county police spokeswoman Elizabeth Schroen said, including determining the speed of the vehicle and other circumstances surrounding the crash. That investigation could take several weeks, she said.
‘One of key players’
Dankos was a standout offensive lineman on the JV as a sophomore in 2007 before moving up to varsity as a junior. He had 17 tackles this season and caused a fumble.
Neuberth said that after being cut from the football team as a freshman, Dankos worked hard, got bigger and made the squad.
“He went from someone who was not very well-known to one of our key players,” he said. “Around me he was kind of quiet. You could tell he was well-liked. He was very respectful to the coaches and to me. He was a player you could rely on. When he applied himself to what he was doing, he was very successful at reaching his goals.”
Thomas Erdman is a captain and two-way lineman on the River Hill football team, which had won 40 games in a row — including two state titles — before Friday night’s loss.
He led the team with 10 sacks and had 79 tackles entering Friday night’s game.
David Erdman was a first-team all-county offensive lineman at River Hill in 2004. He started 10 games on the offensive line for Division III Wesley College in Delaware in 2008 as a senior. He majored in business.
Neuberth said the older Erdman is a well-respected member of the River Hill football community.
“He was one of the best players to come out of our school,” he said. “I’m very glad that Thomas was all right."
Van Deusen, who coached all three of the accident victims, said all were “good kids. It’s been very difficult. We’re just trying to work our way through this.”
Of David Erdman, he said: “I guess he just made some poor decisions that night.”
Calls to the families of Erdman and Dankos went unreturned.
Crisis counselors at school
Crisis counselors were at River Hill Monday to help grieving students deal with their loss, according to a statement from Principal Bill Ryan.
“Whenever there is a death such as this, students, staff, and parents are struck by a wide range of emotions and a deep sense of loss,” Ryan said in a letter to parents. “Support your child and be patient with his or her feelings in responding to this loss.”
Van Deusen said he tried to make sure football players received attention after the fatal accident.
“It was tough. We tried to separate the football players (to offer counseling),” he said. “It’s been a tough weekend in general.”
When students returned to school Monday, Bonhag said no one really knew what to say.
“It’s still a bit of a shock,” Neuberth said. “The accident happened at the entrance to my neighborhood, so every time I pass it, it’s a reminder.
“I’ve heard that in several classes people are crying. People have been going to the guidance counselor. Every day there’s people down at the scene, bringing different objects that he liked.”
Bonhag said that Steven Dankos enjoyed snowboarding and they went on a trip together last year.
He said he’ll miss “just always hanging out with him every day after school and on the weekends.”
The family of Steven Dankos made arrangements for friends and others to pay their respects at a viewing on Wednesday at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, in Hyattsville.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations be made to River Hill High School for a future award and scholarship program.
A service will be held Thursday at 10 a.m., at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, with a burial service immediately following at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, in Silver Spring.
user comments (8)
user gretz1851 says...
Erdman should go to prison for murder, and his parents should be jailed as well for allowing his brother to be out at 3:00am. What the hell is wrong with parents these days?
Posted 9:24 AM, 12.02.09
user carlibounds says...
gretz1851 you're ignorant, disrespectful and ridiculous. What the hell is wrong with you? I can't believe you would even say something like that. I do believe David should be charged for drunk driving, and the other minors for consuming alcohol, but the parents REALLY! You must be out of your mind, whoever you are. Kids do stupid things all the time, these few kids were just unlucky to be the ones to become the example of the outcome. None of the parents involved are bad parents; they are all wonderful parents who let a slip-up happen. I bet you have kids, and you think they’re perfect, but I can promise you they will if they haven’t already will lie and do bad things to you. Why? Because that’s just what kids and teenagers do.
Posted 8:37 PM, 12.02.09
user belovedcartoonmouse says...
How about we focus our attention on the alleged negligent and/or drunk drivers and the people who are out in the middle of the night riding in the bed of a pickup truck? This is dangerous and this is what can happen. Don't blame youth, don't blame parents. Everyone knows that it's not safe.
Posted 8:43 PM, 12.02.09
user brendyparker11 says...
I knew him. He was an amazing person and had a loving spirit. My prayers are for his family and friends. Rest In Peace Steven. You will be greatly missed and forever loved.
Posted 10:44 AM, 12.03.09
user bettyboop53 says...
To Carlibounds - absolutely right! I learned very quickly to never say "MY child would NEVER do that"....because they will. They are teens learning about life. Some choices prove to be wrong - but I do believe that's how we learn. And as for Gretz1851 - you are way out of line when it comes to the parents. And did you know that the driver of the truck did not know that Steve was in the back sleeping. Get your facts straight before you show your ignorance again.
Posted 12:15 PM, 12.03.09
user milton says...
Shortly after the infamous Halloween shooting and before he even had all the facts, County Executive Ken Ulman directed eight departments of county government to harass the homeowners where the shooting occurred with petty violations like not having a rental license. I am shocked- shocked- that he has not made the same sort of threats against the party hosts in this case.
Posted 5:19 PM, 12.03.09
user notwithoutmistake says...
I'd never say my kids wouldn't do that. Never....and so far they haven't .....25, 21, and 16 but I did not have an environment where that party atmostphere was okay. It's not spoken about, but ask anyone close to the family if they saw any of the family members regulary consume and have lots of "fun" when the kids were around! It's just an okay behavior if you let it be...My parents would not let me out past 11, and I was probably not the most popular, but yet, I'm alive and so are my friends, except for cancer...but, the point is.............stop ALLOWING YOUR KIDS TO SEE YOUR ADULT behavior. Stop okaying the partying...or ackowledge it and offer rides....Talk to them....You have to be vigilent. Where do they get the money? Follow that? Where do they go? Sneaky requires a lot more sobriety than you'd think!
Posted 9:56 PM, 12.07.09
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