A fatal accident occurred at Liberty High School in Clarksburg, West Virginia, on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, when a teacher and coach, Ryan Lantz, was struck by a vehicle in the school’s parking lot. The incident took place as students were beginning to arrive for the day.
The accident was reported around 7:30 a.m. Early investigations suggest the driver, a student at the school, was momentarily blinded by the sun, leading to the collision. The incident has been categorized as accidental by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department under Sheriff Robert Matheny, underscoring the unexpected nature of the situation that resulted in Lantz’s premature death.
A devoted member of the Liberty High School community, Lantz was an alumnus who had excelled in two sports as a student before returning to serve as a coach. He had spent ten years as a teacher at the school, recently working in a journalism capacity. He held the role of boys’ varsity basketball coach for four years until 2021, after which he coached the freshman team and was a varsity assistant at Robert C. Byrd High School, also in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Lantz also spent his summers working at a church camp.
The Harrison County School District expressed profound sadness over the loss of Lantz, describing him as a “respected teacher” in a moving statement. The district acknowledged the significant impact of the incident on the school community and extended its thoughts to the affected families during this difficult period. All extracurricular activities at Liberty High School and scheduled board of education meetings were suspended as a mark of respect and mourning.
A GoFundMe campaign initiated by Chelsea Holyfield, Lantz’s niece, has raised over $15,000, reflecting the community’s wish to honor Lantz and support his family. Holyfield wrote on the fundraising page, “His absence will be deeply felt by all who were fortunate enough to know him, or who experienced his guitar playing and sermons by the campfire at Church Camp.” She further described him as “A wonderful father, husband, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, coach, pastor, teacher, and disciple of Christ.”
Before releasing further details to the public, authorities were working to notify all family members and set up counseling services for students and faculty at both Liberty and Robert C. Byrd High Schools, where Lantz had coached.
Ryan Lantz’s contributions to Liberty High School and the wider Clarksburg community will be remembered, even as those he left behind come to terms with the significant loss.
