Remembering Owen Bingham, Dover-Sherborn Student Killed in Weekend Car Crash

Owen Bingham, a Dover-Sherborn High School senior and captain of the school's state championship golf team, was killed in a crash over the weekend, while four passengers suffered non-life threatening injuries.

In a statement released by the Massachusetts high school, Principal John Smith identified the senior after he was killed in Saturday's crash. The community is "heartbroken," by the loss of the senior, Smith said.

Bingham had been accepted to Lafayette University in Pennsylvania.

Dover Sherborn Cable TV

"Most importantly Owen was a loyal friend to many and he was beloved by all of his teachers throughout his years in the Dover Sherborn School System," Smith said in a public statement. "He had a big personality, a wonderful sense of humor and made the lives of all around him better."

Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.

Fatal Dover crash

The teen died early Saturday morning when he was ejected from his SUV after losing control while driving with several passengers in Dover.

Dover police responded to Walpole Street around 1:10 a.m. Saturday after multiple 911 calls reported a one-car crash in the area of Powder House Road. Responding officers found a Honda CRV off the roadway.

Bingham was pronounced dead on scene.

An initial investigation showed the SUV was traveling north on Walpole Street when Bingham lost control and the vehicle left the roadway, striking a guardrail and coming to a rest against a tree.

There were four other passengers in the SUV at the time of the crash, police said, including an 18-year-old from Dover, an 18-year-old from Sherborn, and two 17-year-olds from Dover. All were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police did not say whether Bingham or his passengers were wearing seatbelts, or what caused the driver to lose control.

Outpouring of support

There was an outpouring of support from the Sherborn community Saturday night as they mourned Bingham, who they called a bright young man.

“He was a light, he had charisma…he had a big heart. He loved people, he was a really good young man,” said the Rev. John Hudson, of Pilgrim Church.

Pilgrim Church in Sherborn was overflowing Saturday night with people coming together to grieve privately after the fatal overnight crash in Dover. Friends filled the crash site with flowers, golf clubs, weights, flowers, and messages of love as part of a memorial for the young man gone too soon.

"What I said to the kids is the last thing God wants us to be is alone," Hudson said. "We need to be with other people to support each other and love each other to share memories and to grieve together, too."

The pastor said the teen participated in the church's youth group. He told NBC10 Boston that his service will be at the end of the week.

A community mourns

John Smith, principal at the high school, said Bingham was known for his big personality and even bigger heart.

"Incredible charismatic kid. he would make you laugh, very self-deprecating...he was confident yet humble, that's what I really loved about him."

Counselors were on hand at the school Monday along with several therapy dogs as students grieve the loss.

Mike Klein, the executive director at Dover-Sherborn Cable TV got to know Bingham as he announced the boys' lacrosse games last year.

"He always made everyone else feel important around him. I have a student volunteer in eighth grade and he did announcing with him and Owen took him under his wing."

An investigation is ongoing.