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HARFORD COUNTY, Maryland (WJZ) — A Harford County father desperate to honor his late son is pleading with the State Highway Administration to allow his roadside memorial to remain on Route 152.
It’s been just over four months since 20-year-old Gavin Hopkins was tragically killed in a motorcycle crash here on Route 152 in Fallston.
His dad says his heart breaks every day.
“It’s been hard, it’s been really hard. It’s been hard,” Brad Hopkins, Gavin’s father, said.
That is why he comes to the site of the crash every few days.
“We wanted a spot where his friends could stop and this is where he passed away, his body was literally probably 30 feet beyond the guard rail. So that’s why we wanted to put the cross right here. It’s where he took his last breath,” Hopkins said.
But there was no cross there on Friday.
That’s because the State Highway Administration removed it this morning, after multiple alleged calls from neighbors saying they don’t want it there.
The police were even called while WJZ was on site covering the story.
Every time he or his family or friends go to the site, Hopkins says it’s the same story: the cops are called, ‘no trespassing’ signs go up, and Hopkins says the neighbors even threw away flowers placed at the site.
“It boggles my mind how somebody can be that insensitive,” Hopkins said.
Hopkins says he asked the state for permission before creating the memorial since it’s technically on state property.
“The state said at first it was fine as long as it’s on the other side of the guardrail, he even said they would maintain it and cut the grass, which they don’t have to. I would stop by every couple weeks and take care of the grass around it, which I do. I would comb with my weed eater, trim around it, pull weeds…but for some reason that wasn’t good enough, and somebody knew somebody up high in the government and…I don’t know,” Hopkins explained.
State Highway Patrol told WJZ, in part, “Maryland state law prohibits the placement of non-highway related signage or devices along state highways. Additionally, placing roadside memorials is a safety issue.”
The SHA encourages anyone interested to consider the Adopt-A-Highway program, where people can honor loved ones by dedicating a road to them.
Hopkins says he will consider that option, but in the meantime, cross or no cross, he will not stop coming here, on a road that the public is legally allowed to be on, to honor his son.
“It’s not going to make people stop coming here. Just because that cross isn’t there, I’m still going to be coming here every couple days. His friends are still going to be stopping by here. I think now more than ever,” said Hopkins.
WJZ attempted to make contact with the neighbors, but no one answered.
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