When Adam Weitsman, one of Jim Boeheim’s best friends, got notification after notification on his phone about the head coach striking and killing a Syracuse man late Wednesday, Weitsman’s immediate thought was to text him. He didn’t know if Boeheim would respond, but he tried anyway.

Boeheim, 74, responded and called Weitsman back right away, Weitsman said. The two were on and off the phone until noon Thursday as Weitsman tried to console his friend, he said.

Weitsman, the owner of the Owego-based Upstate Shredding company, met Boeheim in 2015 and the two have been friends since.

“I know how he is. I know everything,” said Weitsman, in an interview with The Daily Orange on Thursday. “This is a big hit for him. I just know how he talks because I talk to him all the time. He’s very down.”

The Syracuse Police Department on Thursday identified the crash victim as 51-year-old Jorge Jimenez of Syracuse, according to SPD Sgt. Matthew Malinowski. On Wednesday, Jimenez was in a vehicle that had lost control, swerved into a divider and landed in the middle of Interstate 690 eastbound near Thompson Road in Syracuse, Malinowski said. The oncoming vehicle, driven by Boeheim, tried to avoid the other vehicle but hit Jimenez, who was standing on the side of the road, police said.

Jimenez was transported to Upstate University Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to Malinowski.

Adam Weitsman attended Syracuse’s last matchup against Duke and donated $175,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs around central New York after the win. Him and Jim Boeheim have been friends since 2015. Courtesy of Adam Weitsman

Before the crash, Weitsman attended Syracuse’s Wednesday home game against No. 18 Louisville with friends. Boeheim and Weitsman usually get dinner after home games, typically at Pastabilities because they stay open late, Weitsman said, but the two decided to opt against it Wednesday, according to Weitsman.

Because of the weather, he and Boeheim didn’t go out for a post-game meal, Weitsman said.

“Last night, the weather was really bad,” Weitsman said. “It took me to get back — the Dome to Binghamton — over two hours. That’s how bad it was.”

At 11 p.m., it was 32 degrees Fahrenheit with light freezing rain, per the National Weather Service.

Weitsman didn’t initially know about the crash Thursday morning, he said. He said he knew that Juli Boeheim, Jim’s wife, was at the game and that Boeheim did go out for dinner with other people, but didn’t know with who.

Police responded to the scene at about 11:20 p.m. Wednesday, almost two hours after Boeheim’s press conference following the Louisville game, police said Thursday. Weitsman said he was told the car Boeheim swerved around was in the middle of the road. He was also unsure if Juli was in the car with him, he said.

Boeheim was tested for alcohol consumption, and it registered 0.0, Weitsman said. Malinowski, the SPD spokesman, in a statement Thursday said there was no alcohol involved in the crash.

“I told him this is a tragedy, but the kids need you,” Weitsman said. “Think hard about what you want to do. He’s just gonna take it day by day.”

It’s likely that Boeheim will not coach practice Thursday and assistant head coach Gerry McNamara will probably take his place, according to Weitsman. But Boeheim is expected to meet with his players later Thursday afternoon to discuss the crash.

“I do think he felt he owed it to the kids to go and talk to them,” Weitsman said. “I think he wanted the comfort.”

Weitsman doesn’t put any fault on Boeheim: “It was icy, there was no excessive speed, there was no drinking. You know, it was the horrible weather,” he said. The two friends will remain in contact the rest of Thursday and Weitsman plans to support Boeheim as much as he can, he said.

“He has his family’s support, the boys and the daughter, they’ll be supportive,” Weitsman said. “I think he’s just going to lay low and be respectful.”

---

MORE COVERAGE: 

• Jim Boeheim hits, kills man in I-690 crash
• SU Athletics announces Jim Boeheim will coach against No. 1 Duke after crash
• Audio: Dispatcher outlines Jim Boeheim crash scene
• Friends, family remember Jorge Jimenez, victim of I-690 crash involving Jim Boeheim

---

Published on February 21, 2019 at 1:24 pm

Contact KJ: kjedelma@syr.edu | @KJEdelman