Jersey City, NJ : Bridget O'Donnell, 5, and her father, Tim, 48, killed in a crash on the Hudson County Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike on Monday, February 22, 2016

The halls of County Prep High School in Jersey City were quiet yesterday.

The Montgomery Street school was left devastated and stunned following Monday's tragic death of science teacher Tim O'Donnell, 48, of Bayonne, who was killed in a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike Hudson County Extension with his 5-year-old daughter, Bridget.

O'Donnell taught chemistry and physics to sophomores, juniors and seniors at County Prep, one of the Hudson County Schools of Technology. Bridget attended the school's day care program.

Adam Chung, a junior at the school, said while he did not have O'Donnell as a teacher, he would talk to him occasionally and found him to be a really nice guy.

"It was sad, very sad. Everyone found out off of social media. It just really impacted everyone," Adam said. "Students were crying. Teachers were crying. Everyone was really upset."

Freshman Rezzelle Anciado worked with Bridget in her classroom and described her as "the sweetest little girl" with a delightfully mischievous side.

"She poured chocolate milk in her Cheerios and thought it was so adorable," Rezzelle said. "I asked her once, 'Can I play with you?' and she said, 'No,' and started laughing. Then she motioned me forward and let me play with her. She was really sweet."

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe O'Donnell, who was driving a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu, was slowing with traffic in lane 10 at the westbound 14C tolls when he was rear-ended and propelled through the toll plaza.

O'Donnell's sedan was then thrust into the eastbound lanes of traffic, where it was struck by a CarePoint Health van, authorities said.

Scott Hahn, 36, of Hamilton, was driving the 1998 Mercedes-Benz that rear-ended O'Donnell's car, officials said. He was taken into custody yesterday and charged with two counts of manslaughter and two counts of vehicular homicide, State Police said. His bail was set at $1 million cash only.

In a statement, Tim's wife, Pam O'Donnell, said her husband was a dedicated teacher and father to their two daughters.

"He loved his students and he loved his work," she said. "To some he may be a run-of-the-mill teacher, to us, he's our hero."

The widow spoke to NBC New York yesterday about the loss, saying she is now facing the loss of her "best friend" and her daughter, Bridget, just two years after she beat cancer.

"I'm struggling with how I survived cancer to have my life ripped apart from me," she told the station.

While she was undergoing treatments for her cancer, her daughter would hold her hand and help her with her medicine.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without her ... that's irreplaceable," she said.
Grief counselors were at the school yesterday to meet with students and faculty who needed assistance.

"Mr. O'Donnell was a tremendous asset for our students, his fellow teachers and staff at County Prep," HCST Superintendent Frank Gargiulo said. "We are forever grateful for his contributions to the school district, and he will always be remembered in our hearts and minds."

O'Donnell, who also served as the school's softball coach, was named the 2007 Hudson County Coach of the Year and led the Hurricanes to a 50-20 record over three seasons. He even had his athletes help him propose. The girls were positioned in the County Prep gym with signs spelling out the big question as the future bride walked in. Seeing the proposal, she cried, a former player said.

In 2011, O'Donnell moved on to coach the Hudson Catholic Regional High School softball team and spent three seasons as the Hawks' coach, compiling an impressive record of 34-16 in his second and third years with the team. In 2013, the Hawks went 17-8 and reached the NJSIAA North Jersey, Non-Public B quarterfinals under O'Donnell.

Hudson Catholic Dean of Students Terry Matthews described him as a family-oriented, "fun guy to be around."

"He was an ideal pickup for us in a lot of ways, in addition to being a good softball coach," said Matthews, who was serving as the school's athletic director at the time. "He really took a personal interest in his (players). He a took a lot of pride in his job."

O'Donnell was a lifelong resident of Bayonne and a graduate of St. Peter's Prep and Rutgers University. He also held a master's degree in educational technology from New Jersey City University.

"Our entire community is devastated by the loss of Tim O'Donnell," County Prep Principal Barbara Mendolla said. "Tim was a big guy with a big heart. His students, colleagues and everyone who knew him truly loved him, and he will be incredibly missed by all of us."

At least two separate fundraising pages have been set up to help the O'Donnell family.

Kristin Cunning, a former softball player at Hudson Catholic, recalled O'Donnell's friendly personality, his love for his wife and two daughters, and his propensity to wear shorts — no matter the weather.

"He was always a really good coach,'' Cunning, now a freshman at Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut, said. "He was always friendly and nice even when we gave him a hard time. He was a big family man."

Source :
School mourns teacher, daughter killed in Turnpike crash