'The hardest messages to deliver.' Westport community mourns teen killed in dirt bike crash

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People in Westport are trying to cope with the loss of a Staples High School student who died in a dirt bike accident. "He has a lot of friends in this community," said Westport Police Lt. Eric Woods. "It's definitely horrible," said Staples senior Sandro Alderucci. Students, parents, teachers and members of the Westport community came to Compo Beach Thursday morning to remember 18-year-old Max Harper. Police say he died in a dirt bike crash Wednesday. "It's really just horrible to know that a classmate of mine has had to go through this, and now his family and his friends have to kind of suffer this loss," said Alderucci. "I think this is step one for the community to try and get to some sense of normalcy after this tragic event," said Woods. Police say Harper, who was a senior at Staples, was killed just after 3 p.m. Wednesday when the dirt bike he was riding collided with a dump truck on Old Hill Road. Police say the fully loaded dump truck veered off the road while attempting to avoid Harper and collided with several trees. They say Harper wasn't wearing a helmet. "It was a large truck. It was a triaxle truck loaded with 12 yards of dirt. So, I don't think a helmet would have mattered either way," said Woods. Police say the driver of the truck was transported to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening. Westport Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice said in an email to parents, "These are among the hardest messages to deliver and process as both a father and a member of the WPS community. Tonight, as I embrace and say goodnight to my 16-year-old son, my mind will be miles away." Grief counseling services will be available for students. The superintendent says all athletic games at the school Thursday have been canceled. A freshman at Suffield High School north of Hartford was also killed in a dirt bike crash Sunday. "