Thisweek Newspapers
Joey Balistreri, 11, dies when driver crosses median, collides with family’s SUV
by John GessnerThisweek Newspapers
Answers will come later in the death of Joey Balistreri, the 11-year-old Burnsville boy killed July 18 when a woman who had been drinking crossed the Highway 13 median and crashed into the Balistreri family’s SUV.
For now, a blanket of community support for his family will have to do.
A funeral service for Joey has yet to be scheduled as his father, Geoffrey Balistreri, 43, recovers from severe leg injuries suffered in the crash.
But support has come from many quarters, including St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and School in Savage and Joey’s youth-sports leagues.
“Those are all families in their own way that they’re tied into,” said the Rev. Michael Tix, head pastor at St. John’s.
Joey was “a kid who always had a big smile on his face,” Tix said. “He liked his sports and he liked being around his friends. He loved his family, and he was certainly loved by them.”
The family released a brief statement after the crash, which occurred at 8:05 p.m. west of Washburn Avenue in Burnsville.
“Sunday’s accident was a tragedy,” it said, in part. “Give your kids an extra hug tonight.”
While questions swirled around the driver who caused the crash, 27-year-old Leah C. Graeber of Savage, members of the Burnsville Athletic Club youth baseball community tried to absorb the loss.
“The outpouring of support and affection for Joey and the family really tells you what kind of a boy he was and what kind of a family they are, how much they are loved and how much we enjoyed being around them,” said Steve Ellingson, assistant coach of Joey’s traveling baseball team.
Joey “lived and breathed” baseball, Ellingson said.
“Joey was a very good ballplayer, a very smart ballplayer,” he said. “He was primarily a catcher and outfielder, but he could play pretty much anywhere.”
Joey also played hockey, and the Burnsville Hockey Club reports that it set up a Caringbridge website for the Balistreri family.
Joey would have been a fifth-grader this fall at St. John’s, Tix said. His mother, Pamela, once taught in the church’s Steppingstones preschool program, and his sister, Megan, attends school and religious education there, Tix said.
Joey and Megan were with their parents in the family’s 2001 GMC Denali when Graeber, who was driving southbound in the left lane, crossed the Highway 13 median and vaulted into northbound traffic, colliding with the Denali, the State Patrol said.
Graeber’s 1997 Buick LeSabre struck a third vehicle, driven by 19-year-old Kelly Larkin of Eden Prairie, who wasn’t injured, according to the patrol.
Alcohol was detected in Graeber’s system, State Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske said.
“We also found an open container of alcohol and some drug paraphernalia in her vehicle,” he said.
Graeber was still at Hennepin County Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries as of Tuesday, Roeske said. Results of a blood test and possible criminal charges await.
“I don’t anticipate that happening anytime real soon,” Roeske said. “It just takes time for the investigation to get wrapped up and sent to the county attorney.”
The Savage Police Department had two mental health-related contacts with Graeber in 2007 and 2008, Capt. Dave Muelken said.
Neither incident involved crimes or Graeber being taken to detox, he said.
Geoffrey Balistreri remained in intensive care at North Memorial Medical Center as of Tuesday, Roeske said.
His wife, writing on the Caringbridge site, reports that his tibia was broken in two spots and he requires a series of surgeries.
“After those surgeries he will need to have reconstruction on his foot,” she wrote Tuesday. “His heel and his ankle were crushed severely. He has been heavily medicated and is not fully aware of the loss we suffered yet.”
According to the hockey club, a fund to help the family has been established at the Wells Fargo Bank branch on County Road 42 in Burnsville under the name Geoff and Pam Balistreri.
The Caringbridge address is www.caringbridge.org/visit/geoffbalistreri.
John Gessner is at burnsville.thisweek@ecm-inc.com.
Tags: assistant coach, washburn, youth baseball, hockey club
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