Motorcyclist killed in crash identified as TOHS seniorFree Access




Chad Tsumpes, 18, died Friday after colliding with a minivan at E. Hillcrest Drive and Marin Street. From GoFundMe page

This story was updated at 2:50 p.m. May 20 with comments from the principal of Thousand Oaks High School.

A Thousand Oaks High School student died in a crash Friday at an intersection near The Oaks mall, just one day before his senior prom.

Chad Tsumpes, 18, was traveling westbound on E. Hillcrest Drive on the back of his lime green Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle around 12:30 p.m. May 17 when he collided with a Toyota minivan driven by 56-year-old Chialun Tsai at Marin Street, according to a news release from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. Tsai, also of Thousand Oaks, was traveling eastbound on E. Hillcrest and turning on Marin away from the mall at the time of the collision, police said.

Tsumpes was pronounced dead at the scene; Tsai suffered no serious injuries but was taken to Los Robles Hospital to be checked out, a sheriff’s department spokesperson said.

Marin and Hillcrest is one of several intersections in the city that was changed in recent years to replace a controlled, or protected, left-turn arrow with a flashing yellow arrow that gives drivers the option of turning while reminding them of the need to yield to oncoming traffic. The change was the result of public complaints over wait times at traffic signals.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Tsumpes’ family pay for his funeral expenses. As of 10 a.m. Monday, it was close to raising its $10,000 goal.

“He was such a unique person and the amount of smiles he put on peoples’ faces were numerous,” his girlfriend wrote on the GoFundMe page. “He was a great friend, boyfriend, son and brother and he will be missed by many. We will always carry a part of him with us because we know he’s doing the same.”

TOHS Principal Eric Bergmann said the school learned of Tsumpes’ passing on Friday and by Saturday students were paying tribute to their classmate at prom, which took place at Hummingbird Nest Ranch outside Simi Valley.

“It was touching and many students took part. Unexpected losses like these are always a gut punch to a community—especially in a community as close knit as Thousand Oaks High School,” Bergmann said. “We have been paying close attention to our students today and have extra counseling staff on site in the event that any student needs additional support.”