KATY – It’s been nearly a year since Logan Dark was killed while riding his bike to school on September 28, 2023.
The 14-year-old was in a South Mason Road crosswalk without working lights when he was hit by a driver. He was a freshman at Cinco Ranch High School.
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Since that tragic day, the community has banded together to honor Logan’s memory. Cool Cat Cycles organized a memorial bike ride for Logan. Steve and Melissa Sims at Ghost Bike Houston also set up a “Ghost Bike” at the crosswalk as a reminder to other drivers and cyclists to be careful. The Logan Dark Memorial Scholarship at Cinco Ranch High School was formed in his honor.
Logan’s father, Josh Dark, has also become an advocate for crosswalk and road safety since his son’s untimely passing. He spoke exclusively with KPRC 2′s Faith Braverman about Logan, the day he died, and how he hopes to protect students during the school year.
When describing his son, Josh shared, “He was really smart, he was kind, and beyond what we realized in our family. After he was killed, we heard so many stories from his friends that said Logan was the first person that came up to them at their new school, at Beck and Cinco Ranch...we always knew he was kind, but I guess we didn’t realize how kind he was.”
Logan’s father also described his son as self-motivated and independent, with a passion fishing and for football.
“He pursued them with every ounce of effort that he could muster.”
The day before Logan was killed, he and his friends had plans to go fishing. Logan told his parents he was going to bike into school so he could check the water levels on his way.
“He woke up before me that morning,” Josh shared. “I got dressed and came into the living room, and he was sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee and his backpack in front of him. I kind of chuckled at that. And I went and made myself my own cup of coffee and I toasted him. And he smiled at me, and he toasted back. I went into the bedroom to get my loafers, my work loafers. And when I came out, he was in the bathroom, and so I didn’t even speak to him that morning. I just toasted him with a cup of coffee. And I got in my car and left for work. And he was killed ten minutes later.”
The start of the school year brings out a lot of emotions for Logan’s parents and two brothers.
“Back to school is really hard. There’s a lot of hard moments. You know, when you’re shopping for your other kids, and you go to the backpack section and an image of the backpack that he was wearing when he was killed, it pops into your head. And your kids don’t understand why you’re crying in the backpack aisle.”
Josh said they get through each day as a family, and that he hopes his son’s death can lead to safer crosswalks.
“We’ve been working with a nonprofit group called Citizens for Road Safety. They were very instrumental in getting some of the Texas transportation codes rewritten for specifically pedestrians and vulnerable road users inside of crosswalks.”
Since Logan’s passing, the crosswalk where he died has been revamped, with updated signage and red high-intensity activated crosswalk lights.
County leaders are also doing more to emphasize safety as students return to school. Katy ISD’s Chief of Police sent an email to parents promising increased patrols and crossing guards within school zones.
In addition to improving crosswalk conditions, Josh stressed the importance for all of us behind the wheel to stay alert.
“If we all stay diligent when we see those big yellow signs, if we can all let off the gas a little, if we can all keep the phones down, we can prevent this from happening to anyone else’s loved one.”