Updated as of 8:33 p.m. July 7 to include an email statement from Elon University.

Elon University rising sophomore Jason Titunik was killed Thursday evening in Salisbury, Connecticut, according to Connecticut State Police.

Titunik, from Sarasota, Florida, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by 19-year-old Robert Steinmetz. According to the police report, Steinmetz lost control of the vehicle and collided with a utility pole on the right shoulder traveling east on Route 44.

Steinmetz was transported to Sharon Hospital with suspected minor injuries. Titunik was transported there with life threatening injuries and later pronounced dead the evening of July 6. The report said both Titunik’s lap and shoulder seat belt were used and the front airbag was deployed.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Canaan and Twin Lakes Road. 


The case is still under investigation and any witnesses to the collision are being asked to contact the primary officer Gina Giannini at State Police Troop B. Police are also asking anyone with a dash cam who was driving in the area around the time of the incident — roughly 6 p.m. — to contact Giannini at the department office of 860-626-1820.

Jon Dooley, Elon’s vice president for student life, sent an email to the Elon community the evening of July 7 stating that Titunik's death is made more tragic because most members of the community are off campus for the summer — thus are unable to honor and mourn Titunik's life together.

“This sudden and tragic loss is even more difficult because we are unable to gather in-person to mourn and share stories,” Dooley wrote. “Jason’s death is a heartbreaking loss for our university community. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts at this challenging time and reach out if we can be supportive for you in any way.”

For resources, students, faculty and staff can contact the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life at 336-278-7729, staff with Student Care and Outreach in the Office of the Dean of Students at 336-278-7200 or counselors from Counseling Services at 336-278-7280. 

Students can access 24/7 resources from the crisis counselor on-call at 336-278-2222, TalkNow from TimelyCare or Student Life administrator on-call through Campus Safety and Police at 336-278-5555. Faculty and staff may also utilize Elon Work-Life Resources for support.