Beloved youth football coach, young player killed in crash near Vineland sports complex

VINELAND, N.J. - A crash involving an SUV and a motorcycle leaves the driver of the motorcycle and a 9-year-old boy dead in Vineland.

Hugs and heartache at the spot where a beloved youth football coach and a Pee Wee Football player were both killed at the entrance to the Joseph E. Romano Sports Complex.

Friday night, two memorials grew, one with a football and balloons in the Upper Township team colors for 9-year-old Easton Beisler and across the street, near broken motorcycle and car parts, a memorial for coach Addiel Ortiz, the 31-year-old Millville father of four, with his framed photo and balloons in the colors of the Vineland Blitz, the team he volunteered as a coach the past four years.

He was a New Jersey state corrections officer for 10 years.

Vineland police say about 6 p.m. Thursday night, Coach Ortiz was riding his motorcycle on Maple Avenue, near Becker Drive by the entrance to the sports complex, when he hit a Chevy Traverse, driven by 42-year-old Lauren Beisler, of Ocean View, in Cape May County, as she was making a turn into the complex, while driving Easton to his Pee Wee scrimmage.

The impact killed both Easton, who was in the backseat and Coach Ortiz. Both died at the scene. Police say Lauren Beisler was not physically hurt in the crash.

Friday night, the football field and stands were quiet and empty, with just the sounds of sadness.

For anyone who would like to assist the Ortiz and Beisler families, a GoFundMe has been established for Easton Beisler, here, while another GoFundMe has been established for Addiel Ortiz, which can be found here.