The high school football community mourns after Elijah Berman dies in a motorcycle accident.
Elijah Berman stood as one of Ohio’s most promising high school football prospects, demonstrating exceptional talent as a defensive lineman at Chaminade Julienne High School in Dayton.
The Class of 2026 recruit commanded attention from college programs across the nation, accumulating 11 scholarship offers from prestigious universities including Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, and LSU.
His impressive physical attributes set him apart on the field – standing as a formidable presence with a 5.33-second 40-yard dash, 26-inch vertical leap, and remarkable strength metrics including a 280-pound bench press, 395-pound squat, and 540-pound deadlift.
Major college football programs actively pursued Berman, with coaches from top-tier schools making regular contact and extending official visit invitations.
Ohio State’s Jim Knowles and Larry Johnson, Michigan’s Lou Esposito and Wink Martindale, and Notre Dame’s Al Golden and Al Washington all recognized his potential.
His recruiting profile showed scheduled visits to Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, and Ohio, demonstrating the widespread interest in his services.
On June 16, 2025, Berman committed to Eastern Michigan University, choosing the Eagles over numerous other competitive offers.
His commitment represented a significant recruiting victory for Eastern Michigan’s coaching staff, who successfully landed one of Ohio’s top defensive line prospects.
Elijah Berman’s Future Cut Short By Accident
The promising future of Elijah Berman ended tragically on Tuesday evening when the 17-year-old lost his life in a devastating motorcycle accident in Warren County, Ohio.
The fatal crash occurred at approximately 5:12 p.m. at the dangerous intersection of State Route 123 and the Interstate 75 exit ramp in Franklin, an area known for heavy traffic during evening rush hours.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol spokesperson, the accident involved Berman’s Suzuki DL1000 motorcycle and a Peterbilt 379 semi-truck driven by a 41-year-old Michigan man.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the semi-truck driver was exiting Interstate 75 onto State Route 123 when the collision occurred. Berman was traveling southbound on State Route 123 at the time of impact.
The massive semi-truck struck Berman’s motorcycle directly in the intersection, creating a catastrophic collision that sent both vehicles careening out of control.
The force of the impact caused the semi-truck to hit a raised median divider before overturning completely, while Berman’s motorcycle also overturned and came to rest on the raised median strip.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, immediately transporting the critically injured teenager to Atrium Medical Center.
Despite the medical team’s efforts, Berman succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
The semi-truck driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries and received treatment at a local medical facility.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol Lebanon Post continues investigating the crash to determine the exact circumstances that led to this tragic collision.
Heather Berman, Elijah’s mother, shared the heartbreaking news on social media, writing,
“This is Elijah’s mom. Please pray for us. And hold your family close. I’m in complete shock.”
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Her message, accompanied by the news article about the accident, sent shockwaves through the high school football community and the many college programs that had been recruiting her son.
The loss of Elijah Berman represents not only a personal tragedy for his family and friends but also the end of what promised to be an outstanding college football career.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Elijah recorded a 4.5-second shuttle run time, demonstrating his lateral quickness and agility as a defensive lineman.
- Army coaches Dane Romero and Nate Woody were among those recruiting him, showing interest from military academy programs beyond the traditional college football schools.
- He had scheduled visits to multiple schools in June 2025, including planned trips to Virginia (June 11) and Duke (June 12), indicating his recruitment was still very active right up until the tragic accident.
