Car crash claims lives of two girls, their father
By Anne Trautner
Assistant Editor
Students at Sharon Community School are piecing together a memory book. The art staff at Big Foot High school is framing artwork by a talented young artist.
It is how they are trying to cope after 18-year-old Talia Enciso, her father, Alvino Ortiz, 43, and her 8-year-old sister, Brittney Ortiz, died in a car crash in Rock County at about 10:20 a.m. Saturday. Enciso’s 14-year-old sister, Maria Ortiz, was injured in the crash and remained in stable condition at American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison on Wednesday.
“It is just a terrible tragedy and the sadness is felt throughout our school,” said Dorothy Kaufmann, district administrator for Big Foot High School.
“It’s a small school, and it’s like one of your family members has been taken. It’s just very, very sad. It’s difficult to even comprehend how the remaining family members must be feeling. Our love and our prayers go out to them.”
The girls
Brittney Ortiz was enrolled in second grade at Sharon Community School. The other two girls were graduates of Sharon School and attended Big Foot High School.
“It’s been a huge loss for the teaching staff and the students here,” said Dr. Lillian Henderson, Sharon School District administrator.
“They were all delightful girls and good students. They were very well behaved and well-mannered students. They had many, many friends.
Both Talia, who was a senior, and Maria, a freshman, were well liked at Big Foot High School as well, Kaufmann said.
“Talia was extremely artistic,” Kaufmann said. “She was very active in the art department and has done some beautiful work doing AP Art work. She was a very talented woman. She loved the arts and was very artistic. She was just a delight to know.”
Maria has already made her mark on the high school.
“She is also very popular and was certainly getting used to being at Big Foot High School. Kids are drawn to her,” Kaufmann said.
Talia was mostly known for being very close with her younger sister. They ate lunch together at same table every day with same kids at school.
“The older sister kept a good eye on her younger sister,” Kaufmann said.
The accident
Enciso was driving a 2009 Honda north on Highway 14 in the town of Bracisodford when she failed to yield the right of way from the stop sign at eastbound 11/14, according to the Rock County Sheriff’s Department.
The car entered the intersection and was struck by an east-bound 2005 Dodge Ram pulling a travel trailer.
The driver of the Ram, Timothy S. Votow, 43, and passenger Sheri L. Votow, 42, of Janesville, were uninjured.
Maria was incorrectly reported as dead in initial reports.
Managing grief
Big Foot High School notified families of the tragedy through its instant alert system this weekend.
The school was then opened up for several hours Sunday night so counselors and the school psychologist could meet with students, teachers, staff and grieving community members.
On Monday, counselors from Credence Therapy Associates in Elkhorn and Lutheran Social Services of Janesville were available at the school for students, teachers and staff.
“Students had an opportunity for both small group and individual support if they needed that,” Kaufmann said.
In Sharon, additional support was also available.
“I am very grateful for Fontana and Reek schools for sharing their counselors,” Henderson said.
“The school psychologist for Sharon and Big Foot spent additional time here this week as well.”
Fundraisers for the Ortiz family
The following fundraisers are planned to help the Ortiz family with medical bills and funeral expenses:
• Monday, Dec. 16: Spaghetti dinner and bake sale at the Coffee Shop Café, 192 Baldwin St, Sharon. Donations will be taken throughout the day.
• Sunday, Dec. 29: Dinner at Colonial Club, 10 N. Walworth St., Darien.
• Donations are being accepted at Community Bank in Sharon, where an account is set up for the Ortiz.
Big Foot High School is also accepting donations.
Services
Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, at Toynton Funeral Home, 328 Kenosha St. in Walworth, with service beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Sharon on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m.
