Friends Pay Tribute on Internet to Puyallup Teen Killed in Buckley Crash

Tributes have been springing up all over the internet for Traevon Norton, the 17-year-old Puyallup boy killed in a crash in Buckley last Wednesday, Aug. 3.

Norton, also known as T.N.C., was a local celebrity when it came to rap music for young people, and many of the tributes focus on that aspect of his life. Some of them can be found on You Tube, Myspace and Facebook, but many are adult in nature.

Norton was killed when a car he was a passenger in crashed into a telephone pole close to where 112th Street meets State Route 410 in Buckley. A streetside memorial there continues to grow.

The driver of the vehicle was speeding and failed to make a turn, Buckley Police Chief Jim Arsanto has said.

The chief has not released the driver's name because of an ongoing investigation. He planned to turn over the case to prosecutors this week. Arsanto has said that he planned to recommend the driver be charged with felony hit-and-run and vehicular homicide.

The driver, a 19-year-old from Bonney Lake, called a friend to take him to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw after the crash instead of calling authorities to see if Norton could be helped, Arsanto has said.

The driver was transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he was released last Wednesday afternoon, the chief has said.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner's office said Wednesday that Norton's body has been released to a funeral home, but arrangements have not been announced yet. Friends reportedly did have a memorial for Norton Friday at Wright's Park in Tacoma.