The grandson of renowned Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski was arrested on charges of drunk driving following a tragic accident that resulted in the death of a 15-year-old boy on Saturday night.
Joseph Savarino, aged 26, allegedly struck a teenager riding an electric bicycle in Durham, North Carolina, shortly before 9 p.m., as reported by local news.
The victim was identified as Jack O’Shea by his mother, who shared the news in a heartfelt post on social media.
In her post, Alison O’Shea expressed, “While we cannot understand why his stay was so short or why he was needed so soon, we must hold on to the belief that he is now our angel. We are better people because of him and we will always have him with us.”
She added, “The depth of this grief is beyond anything we could have imagined. This is a club that no parent would ever want to be a part of.”
Authorities reported that Savarino was driving north on Coal Mill Road when the incident occurred, with the young boy dying at the scene.
Public records indicate that Savarino tested with a blood alcohol level of 0.11 during a breathalyzer test taken around 12:45 a.m. the following day and later admitted to having been drinking earlier that evening.
Currently, he faces a misdemeanor charge for driving while impaired, while the investigation into the crash continues, as outlined in online records.
Savarino was taken into custody at the Durham County Detention Center and was released on Monday after posting a $100,000 bail.
He has at least 30 days to turn in his driver’s license and is set to appear in court again in approximately a month.
This incident isn’t the first time a grandchild of Krzyzewski has faced a DWI-related charge. Joseph’s brother, Michael Savarino, was arrested in 2021 and later pled guilty to DWI the following year. Additionally, Paolo Banchero, a current NBA star who played for Krzyzewski at Duke, was also involved in that case, facing charges of aiding and abetting DWI.
