MSU sophomore dies in car crash
By Brittany Shammas (Last updated: 10/22/09 12:03am)On the day Felisa Estella Rosa Barnes was crowned homecoming queen in high school, she cried. Her father, gone for most of the year, had returned home and she was overjoyed the family finally was together. Prioritizing friends and family is a trait that followed Felisa Barnes throughout her life and that friends and family always will remember.
Barnes
“It didn’t even faze her that she won,” said her sister, criminal justice senior Christa Barnes. “She was just happy to be with the family — just crying so hard. Even though she got homecoming queen, she didn’t really care because she was just so happy the family was together.”
Felisa Barnes, a 19-year-old communication sophomore, died Tuesday in a Green Oak, Mich., car accident. She lost control of the Pontiac Grand Prix she was driving on US-23 after sideswiping a semi-tractor trailer, according to a statement from Green Oak Charter Township police.
The Grand Prix crossed the median and overturned, and entered the opposite lane of traffic, where it collided with a Chrysler Concord, the release stated. Felisa Barnes was pronounced dead at the scene, Green Oak police Deputy Chief Jason Pless said.
The driver of the Concord, a 19-year-old man from Ann Arbor, is in serious condition at the University of Michigan Hospital, but is expected to survive, Pless said. The driver of the semi-tractor trailer, a 50-year-old Spring Hill, Fla., man, was not injured, the statement read. Investigation continues into the cause of the accident, Pless said.
A 2008 graduate of Erie-Mason High School, Felisa Barnes was involved in cheerleading, volunteering, student council, volleyball, track and cross country, Christa Barnes said.
“When she was little, she was pigeon-toed and they wanted to break her legs and reset them, and I said, ‘No,’ because she got scared,” said her father, Bruce Anthony Barnes Sr. “We used to turn around and have her … sit backward on her feet. She ended up becoming a runner and we never got her legs fixed and she was … awesome.”
Friends and family remember Felisa Barnes as selfless and always wanting to help others; she was an organ donor who wanted to volunteer with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and hoped to participate in Alternative Spring Break.
She was creative and unique, a free-spirited girl who called the day she saw Incubus with her little brother the best day of her life. She loved to be outside, close friend and psychology sophomore Stephanie Allain said.
“She would always make me walk back from class — even if it was freezing — all the way across campus, because we had a class together at Natural Sciences,” she said. “She always made me walk back to (the Brody Complex). Even if it was freezing cold and it was snowing, she was like, ‘No, no it’s fine.’”
Felisa Barnes’ contagious laughter and one-of-a-kind personality drew people to her, Allain said.
“You could just talk about her forever because there are so many good things to say about her,” she said. “If you met someone who knew her and you started describing her, they knew exactly who she was.”
Originally Published: 10/21/09 11:38pm
Maria
10/22/09 12:12ammy condolences go out to you and your family my fellow Latina.
Sean
10/22/09 8:36amI’m so sorry to hear of this. My thoughts and prayers are with all involved and their loved ones. God Bless you and help you in this difficult time.
Tom
10/22/09 9:09amI was on US23 going home from my daughter’s home in Dexter, Mi. when Felisa lost control of her car. I was in the traffic back-up on northbound US23 less than a mile south of the accident scene. My thoughts and prayers go out to Felisa’s family and to the young man from Ann Arbor that was injured and his family. Traffic accidents become a horrible reality when one comes that close to being directly involved. May we all try just a little harder as a result of this tragedy to respect the danger associated with driving a motor vehicle.
brandi
10/22/09 10:29ameveryone assumes since she was a young student she was texting or talking. did you ever think maybe she was changing lanes and the truck was in a blind spot. not like that has never happened before.
besides it doesn’t matter what happened. someone lost their life and another was severely injured. that is a little more important than trying to blame someone for what happened.
allison
10/22/09 11:04amI was friends with Felisa through grade school and middle school. And she was the type of girl who was friends with anyone and she always knew how to make people laugh, she was probably best friend anyone could ask for. My condolences go out to her family and close friends.
Ray
10/22/09 11:29amI went to school with Felisa for as long as i can remember. Her sister and my sister used to be good friends and played softball together for years. Felisa was a very sweet and caring person. I was super shocked when i heard the news about her. My prayers go out to hear family and friends. RIP Felisa may angels lead you in!! you will be missed greatly.
Brittany
10/22/09 11:30amTo all who write this off as just another teen who dies in a car crash… i pitty you. whether you think it was her fault, or if you don’t believe in accidents… even if you’re just apathetic to loss of people. Imagine your sister… your bestfriend, your cousin… anyone close. Being gone the next day, and in such a tragic way. Yes she was selfless, and yes she was amazing. Not just words to be said to any deceased person. But I don’t expect you to understand, you didn’t know her. So how could you?
ERNative
10/22/09 12:35pmMDOT can’t get the cable barrier put up on this stretch fast enough. This is a tremendously busy stretch of road, and it’s not the first time someone’s crossed the median here. That barrier would have saved her life and saved the other driver from being involved.
Maggie
10/22/09 1:08pmPlease realize what you are saying on this public website. Family members and friends of this young woman will be reading these comments and it is almost heartless to make these harsh statements about someone you don’t even know. If you feel strongly about the issue of distractions while driving like we all should, do something constructive about it, we all need to take extra precaution driving, but please don’t litter the documentation of a young girl’s untimely death.
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Alex
10/22/09 2:41pmThis stretch of US-23 between Lee Rd and M-36 is not particularly hazardous or dangerous. The southbound lane is very light in traffic in the evening, and there really isn’t much in the way of driving challenges. I drive home on this road every night, and it’s usually an easy drive. The trucks are sparse and I’ve never had any problems with them. The road quality is good; even in snowy and icy weather, traction is good and there are no curves in the road until you get to Silver Lake Rd.
I saw the aftermath of the accident the night it happened.
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miriha
10/22/09 2:45pmFelisa, I cannot believe that this is true. My spontaneous, beautiful, out going, kind, and caring girl is gone. U were my role model, the girl i looked up to and admired the most. Please, know that we all love you and continue to look after us.
Jenny
10/22/09 3:30pmAll that I can say is wow… how horrible that people feel the need to make such horrible comments about a wonderful girl who lost her life way too soon. Please be aware that her family including myself is reading this and questioning why people need to be so horrible at a time of tragedy. She was a wonderful human being and she will be forever missed by everyone that knew her. I pray that the negative comments stop and that the immaturity level rises and people learn to have some respect for the families involved. Love you Felisa…you will be in our thoughts forever.
traveling -by
10/22/09 6:24pmThe accident kept on replaying in my head. It was dark. The sparks. The soft glare of headlight. Big cloud of dust-smoke. I was second car behind boy’s crushed car. Death was instant. If she was alive, I would have at least hold her hand to assure her that she’s not alone. Felisa was treated with utmost dignity . I have been in wrecks personally before. Too many questions unanswered to say why sideswiping took place. My prayers goes out to all involved.
Matt
10/22/09 10:32pmI am an MSU grad who lives right down the street from where this happened. Just wanted to say my thoughts and condolences go out to her family.
Sasha Rodriguez
10/22/09 10:51pmi went to high school with Felisa..she was a good person, she was my friend, she was everyones friend. and its crazy cuz i just dont understand y good people get hurt or die..it makes me so mad..bad thinks happen to good people!! i been upset for the past 2 days..i hope her family the best..and everyone that new her from mason..we all love her and always will
Sasha Rodriguez
10/22/09 10:51pmi went to high school with Felisa..she was a good person, she was my friend, she was everyones friend. and its crazy cuz i just dont understand y good people get hurt or die..it makes me so mad..bad thinks happen to good people!! i been upset for the past 2 days..i hope her family the best..and everyone that new her from mason..we all love her and always will
Megan
10/22/09 11:54pmI didn’t know her well on a personal level but both Christa and Felisa were two of the nicest, most caring individuals at Mason, both were very respected and everyone loved them. They didn’t care who you were, if you needed someone to talk to, to sit with, or just needed help they were there and willing. I can’t believe Felisa is gone, it’s just not fair she was much too young, and very smart, and a good person.
R.I.P Felisa, you’ll never be forgotten.
My heart and prayers go out to Christa and the rest of the Barnes Family.
Darko
10/23/09 9:22amThis is a terrible loss. Prayers go out to them.
Johnny
10/23/09 9:57amMy condolences to the family.
Ryan
10/23/09 10:16amERNegative – Yes, the barrier cables might have saved her life, but those cables should not be necessary. Parents need to make sure their kids know how to react in an emergency situation, and the population as a whole is becoming distracted while driving. I just don’t think it’s justified to spend massive amounts of money to put up barriers just to save the incompetent few, and please understand I am not calling this girl incompetent. I have no idea what happened, but it’s beyond me how one could be involved in this type of accident without some sort of negligence. Poor girl, poor family. I hope the other kid lives.
Sally
10/23/09 10:33amGod bless her soul and her family. I just lost my daughter on Oct. 5 suddenly. Pray for us one and all. Peace to all who knew Felisa Estella Rosa. No matter what age 19 or 46, it breaks your heart to see them leave before us parents.
Roosevelt
10/23/09 10:41amI worked with Felisa for a very short period of time, we were not really friends, and we were not very close. I point this out because I want everyone to know just how special this young girl was. I am deeply hurt and at times cannot stop crying as a result of her death. In just a short period of time this amazing person earned a spot in my heart, the world would be so much better if everyone was like her. Never have I felt so heart broke over the death of someone I only knew for such a short time. My prayers go out to her family and freinds who knew her better than me, I can only image how hard this has to be for all of you. Peace and Love Felisa, I will never forget you.
America
10/23/09 5:22pmMy condolences to her family and friends.
ERNative
10/23/09 11:15pmRyan – I agree that drivers education is a joke, and that people in general don’t take driving seriously enough. But, we don’t know that’s what happened here.
Washington State did a cost/benefit analysis of cable median barriers. Not only did fatalities drop by nearly 90%, they calculated the benefit at $420,000 per mile annually. Cable barriers cost $44,000 per mile to install, and $2,570 per mile annually to maintain (paid for by the insurance companies when their policyholders hit them). In other words, cable median barriers pay for themselves 9 times over. Is that still insufficient justification?