Lost a partner :(

[CLH]

I had to grim task of seeing one of my closest friends and mentors buried today. My buddy Brent was killed last weekend in a motorcycle wreck. Brent worked Division 1 Men's games in several different conferences as well as being one of the top guys in my high school chapter. I had the fortune or working my first high school regional with him a few years back.

We have started a scholarship fund in his memory. If anyone would like to contribute you can send donations to.

Brent Smith Scholarship Fund
870 Lake Terrace Drive
Dallas, Texas 75218

Below is a newspaper article covering the accident.

Red Oak man dies in crash

By JOANN LIVINGSTON
Daily Light Managing Editor

Published: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 1:24 PM CST

A 35-year-old Red Oak man died Sunday from injuries he received in a motorcycle-motor vehicle accident late Saturday.

Brent Lloyd Smith passed away at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas at 3:40 p.m. Sunday, according to the accident report.

A graduate of Joshua (Texas) High School, where he played basketball and football, Smith attended Cisco Junior College on an athletic scholarship before transferring to the University of North Texas. After graduating with a bachelor’s of science degree in finance, Smith became a highly successful salesman and was employed with an Arlington-based company at the time of his death, relatives said.

He also was a Division I basketball referee and refereed practices for the Dallas Mavericks.

“He really enjoyed that,” said his aunt, Barbara Nickols of Brownwood, formerly of Waxahachie. “He traveled a lot and did a lot of games.”

“He was always the center of attention. He was outgoing and gregarious. That was Brent,” said his cousin, Eric Nickols.

His relatives said Smith had moved to Red Oak about eight years ago. His survivors include his wife, Shelley; son, Blayne, 7; stepdaughter, Maisye, 12, all of Red Oak; parents, Sharon Smith of Joshua, Texas, and (ret.) Lt. Col. Gary Smith of Kansas; sister, Brook Smith of Godley, Texas; and stepbrother, Justin Smith of Kansas.

“Brent had a personality that appealed to everybody. He could talk to anybody,” Barbara Nickols said. “He always treated you with such dignity. It didn’t matter who you were.”

The accident occurred at 5:50 p.m. Saturday in the 2500 block of N. U.S. Highway 77, where it intersects with the 100 block of Grove Creek in Waxahachie.

According to the report, Smith was riding a 2009 Yamaha V Star motorcycle and was traveling northbound in the right hand lane of Highway 77.

Patricia S. Thomas, 74, of Waxahachie was driving a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria and traveling southbound in the turn lane of Highway 77 when she attempted to make a left hand turn onto Grove Creek, according to the report, which indicates the Ford failed to yield the right of way to the motorcycle.

Smith, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected from his motorcycle and suffered incapacitating injuries, according to the report. He was transported by Air Evac from the scene to Parkland.

No injuries were reported by Thomas, according to the report.

The funeral will be Thursday at Calvary Baptist Church in Cleburne, with arrangement by Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Funeral Home in Cleburne

[Adam]

My condolences.

[Back In The Saddle]

A very sad loss. My condolences as well.

[grunewar]

My condolences too. A really sad story - only 35 yrs old w/ so much going for him. Shame.

[Nevadaref]

Definitely sad, but worse it was possibly preventable. The driver who turned in front of him was 74. I've said for quite a while now that our state governments need to seriously look at an age limit on driving or at least impose some kind of rigorous testing for drivers over a certain age. It's a fact of life that growing old impairs many of the necessary abilites to drive a vehicle. Many of these people are downright dangerous on the roads.

[Scrapper1]

Sorry to hear. I gave up my motorcycle when my wife got pregnant the first time. I miss it, but I don't regret it at all.

[CoachP]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Definitely sad, but worse it was possibly preventable. The driver who turned in front of him was 74. I've said for quite a while now that our state governments need to seriously look at an age limit on driving or at least impose some kind of rigorous testing for drivers over a certain age. It's a fact of life that growing old impairs many of the necessary abilites to drive a vehicle. Many of these people are downright dangerous on the roads.

Whoa there. The article says a 74 year old woman, not a little old lady with blue hair peering over her steering wheel thru her trifocals going 25 mph under the speed limit.

I'm more leery of the 18 year with the frys in one hand, cell in the other, with 4 other friends and 98.5 blaring loud enough to be heard a county away and loud enough that the ambulance has been on her rear for 10 second trying to get around her. I see those example by the dozen's weekly to and from work/lunch.

You'll be 74 someday.......Jumping off soapbox now....

Back on topic, what a sad loss, not only for family and friends, but likely a community. Prayers are with the family.

[MikeK27]

Sorry to hear about your loss, you will be in our family's prayers.

[Nevadaref]

Coach P,
Immature behavior behind the wheel is definitely dangerous. I certainly don't condone that, yet there is a difference between having the faculties and not using them and just not having them anymore.