Matthew J. Levay

Matthew J. Levay, 26, a social studies teacher at North End Middle School, died Sunday of head injuries at St. Mary's Hospital.

Born in Waterbury in 1975, Levay attended Tinker Elementary School, West Side Middle School and Kennedy High School before earning a bachelor's degree at the University of Connecticut and a master's degree in education at the University of Bridgeport.

In just two years at North End, Levay showed himself to be an enthusiastic teacher who connected with students, perhaps because he was still young and knew what it was like to grow up in the city, school officials said.

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Levay also taught in this year's expanded summer school program, which is helping 1,800 students in kindergarten through grade 6 improve their reading, writing and math skills.

"We were so pleased to have him in the summer school program.
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Levay was injured July 8 when a car turning left into a gas station on South Main Street hit his motorcycle, according to police accounts.

The driver of the car, Auri Marshall, 22, a part-time insurance salesman, left the scene after taking the plate off his car and buying a soda, witnesses told police.

Marshall has been charged with first-degree assault, evading responsibility, operating a motor vehicle without a license, failure to meet minimum insurance regulations, failure to renew registration, misuse of plates and failure to grant the right of way.