'Definitely been tough': St. Frances Academy still grieving nearly year after star Lamar Patterson's death

BALTIMORE - Nearly a year ago, Lamar Patterson, a star football player at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, was killed on his way to school. 

Coaches and former teammates are still in disbelief.

"It's hard to describe. You still are surprised, in shock a little bit," St. Frances Academy Coach Messay Hailemariam told WJZ.

Patterson was killed on February 2, 2022, when his car was hit by an MTA Light Rail train in Linthicum.

"It's definitely been tough," St. Frances Academy student Blake Woodby said. "It's definitely been like an eye-opener. Nothing is promised, life isn't promised."

Tavon Smith, an MTA Light Rail operator, was charged on Wednesday in Patterson's death.

Charging documents obtained by WJZ show that Smith has been charged with negligent manslaughter, criminally negligent manslaughter and reckless endangerment. 

"It's not about avenging Lamar's death, but it's giving clarity for Lamar to know that it wasn't his fault," Hailemariam said. "At the beginning, the narrative was Lamar broke the rule or the law or he went around a gate. All of that wasn't facts."

Initially, police believed the cause of the crash was Lamar's failure to obey traffic control devices. 

But eventually, footage reviewed by investigators showed the train entered the intersection while the roadway gates were in the process of lowering. 

That meant, the roadway was not completely blocked at the time of the crash. 

"It's not going to bring him back, but just to know that his mom has clarity," Woodby said. "Someone is getting justice served for it is the only thing I can ask for."

Woodby told WJZ he still texts Lamar's phone number even though he knows he won't get a response. 

St. Frances Academy will hold a vigil on February 2—the one-year anniversary of Lamar's death.