Tributes paid to student who died in Brighton after A27 accident

Tributes have been paid to a student who died in Brighton after an accident on the A27 at Falmer a week ago.

Adam Rice, 21, a student at the International Summer School at Sussex University, was hit by a van at about 1.15am last Saturday (5 July).

He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton where he died the next day.

His family had flown in from America and were by his side when he died on Sunday afternoon.

The Daily Californian said that Mr Rice, a student at the University of California, Berkeley, was known for his “comedic flair”.

Adam Rice – photo courtesy of the Daily Californian

It published a tribute from his sister Emily who said that her brother was a skilled musician, singer, actor and filmmaker who aspired to be a director and editor.

She said that her brother essentially taught himself to play the piano and could listen to any song or score from a movie and recreate it.

Miss Rice said: “I used to say I was glad I was the older sibling so I wouldn’t have to live up to him.”

He featured in a video welcome for new students at Berkeley. His sister said that it would help cement his legacy on campus and added: “Adam is very well loved. The outpour of love to me and to my parents – it’s just so clear how adored he was and rightly so.”

Mr Rice was knocked over by a Peugeot Partner van was heading towards Lewes. The driver, a 58-year-old man from Crawley, was unhurt. He has not been arrested.

PC Kelly Newton, of Sussex Police, said: “We are appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision or saw the pedestrian leading up to it to contact police.”

Anyone with information is asked to phone Sussex Police on 101 or email collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk.