in bike accident

By CHRISTIAN SCHMIDT

The Natchez Democrat

FERRIDAY &8212; Ask his mother or his principal or his brother, and you might get a pretty good idea what kind of person DeJaun Leonard was.

Mischievous was the word.

&8220;He was a pretty active seventh-grade student here,&8221; Ferriday Junior High Principal Dorothy Parker said. &8220;He was a pretty outgoing kid, but he could be mischievous &8212; not in a bad way, but he could be a handful.&8221;

Doris Leonard said her son was the indepent type.

&8220;He was mischievous. DeJaun was going to be DeJaun,&8221; Doris said. &8220;He worked for people in stores around here because he wanted to make his own money.&8221;

DeJaun Leonard, 14, was killed when a truck crashed into his bicycle on U.S. 65 near Ridgecrest this weekend. A Louisiana State Police report said DeJaun crossed two lanes of northbound traffic and turned into an inside southbound turning lane, directly into the path of the vehicle.

DeJaun was taken to Riverland Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. DeJaun had gone to Ridgecrest to play football with some friends, his mother said.

&8220;I just can&8217;t believe it. I&8217;m still in denial,&8221; Doris said.

DeJaun left behind four brothers, including his twin Antron, and seven sisters. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. at St. James Baptist Church in Frogmore, La. The family is still trying to get together enough money to cover funeral expenses, Doris said.

Ferriday Junior High is collecting donations to help with the cost, Parker said.