UNC Mascot Dies

[Wannabe Actuary]

after hanging on for a while, he passed away

HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) -- A 21-year-old University of North Carolina student who served as a mascot for the school's basketball team died Monday, three days after he was struck by a sport-utility vehicle while walking along a highway.

Jason Ray, who dressed up as UNC's ram mascot, Rameses, had been in critical condition since the accident on Route 4 Friday afternoon. He had been in New Jersey for the NCAA men's tournament game between North Carolina and Southern California at Continental Airlines Arena.

Steve Kirscher, UNC's associate athletics director for communications, said Ray died at 8:38 a.m. Monday.

According to police, Ray left his hotel to go to a nearby convenience store Friday afternoon, and was walking back along Route 4 when he was struck from behind by an SUV. The driver stopped immediately to call 911. No charges have been filed.

Police said Gagik Hovsepyan, 51, the driver who hit Ray, had a valid driver's license and did not appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. His son was asleep in the SUV at the time, police said.

Ray was scheduled to graduate in May with a major in business administration and a minor in religion.

[Han Solo]

This is quite sad.

[EmptyNester]

I heard the news on my way home from work - so sad.

[Wannabe Actuary]

I hadn't heard he was hit until they mentioned it during the G-Town/UNC game....about the only interesting thing Billy Packer said...

[ReserveRage]

Wonder if the setting sun was in the driver's face. It's scary how that can blind you to pedestrians walking on the side of the road. I almost hit a group of kids once in a such a situation but cut my wheel into the center of the road with only a second to spare. Of course they were being dumb and walking side by side in a row of 3, extending several feet into the road.

[DblDownTrent]

[Rosebud]

I thought Rameses was the Trojan's mascot.

[The African Queen]

I always thought that you are supposed to walk against traffic, although he probably would not have had any time to react anyway.

[Mick Fan]

This is sad. It makes it more sad that it was just an innocuous trip across the street that wound up being fatal.

[DoctorNo]

This stinks.