MARTINSVILLE (WSLS 10) - Students and faculty at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville are remembering a classmate and teammate who died after a bicycle accident.
Eighteen-year-old Ruth Omolola died Thursday from injuries she suffered on Sunday, April 3.
Police say she was riding her bike on Banks Road when she went off the side and crashed.
She played basketball at the community college and both fellow teammates, as well as her coach say she'll be greatly missed.
"She was just very outgoing and kind and nice and funny; easy to talk to. If you needed anything, she was always there for you," said Demi Calhoun, Ruth's best friend and teammate.
"She was just definitely a joy to have. She always picked us up and was just a great person to be around," said Ebony Reynolds, another one of Ruth's teammates.
"I felt like I lost a daughter. These ladies have kept me strong and I'm here for them, I'm here for the family as much as possible. We know she's watching over us,"said Brian Henderson, the women's basketball coach at the school.
The New Carrollton, Maryland native averaged 7 points and 11 rebounds while starting 17 of the PHCC Patriots' 19 games. She scored a career high 20 points after shooting a perfect 9 for 9 from the floor in the team's 83-54 win over Wake Tech on November 23, 2015. She grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds in her final game on March 3, a 77-56 loss to Guilford Tech in the NJCAA Region X playoffs. She was instrumental in leading the team to a strong finish this past season when the Patriots won three of their final five regular season games.
A memorial service for Omolola is scheduled for Friday, April 15 starting at 6:30 p.m. at Deeper Life Bible Church in Washington D.C. The funeral service is Saturday, April 16 in Hyattsville, Maryland at Ebenezer Church of God. The viewing starts at 9 a.m.
The accident is still under investigation. If you have any information, contact Martinsville police at 276-403-5300.