By Sara Ballenger

Family, friends, students and staff are mourning the loss of Ryan L. Caster, 24, a first-year English teacher at Mountain View High School. Caster died in a motorcycle accident Aug. 5, in Florence, Ore.

Caster was traveling on Highway 126 between Florence and Eugene, Ore., when a 68-year-old man, driving a 1998 Buick Park Avenue, allegedly pulled out of a restaurant parking lot, turning on to the highway, directly in front of Caster, Oregon State Police said.

According to the police report, Caster applied his brakes, but although he was not traveling at a high speed, he did not have enough time to stop.

Caster collided with the Buick and died on impact.

The staff of Mountain View High has scheduled a memorial service at 3:30 p.m., Friday, at Shoup Park in Los Altos.

Students plan to show a short video at 8 a.m., Monday, in the school gym, with a moment of silence dedicated to Caster.

The staff is also establishing the Ryan Caster Memorial Scholarship Fund to benefit a college-bound student who has an interest in teaching and literature.

Caster taught American literature and freshman English survey.

Services were held in Caster’s native Louisville, Ky., on Aug. 9.

He is survived by his parents, M. Keiley and Sharon Caster; a sister, Dawn Caster; and grandparents, Norman and Dorothy Wasserman and Maynard Caster.

Memorial gifts are asked to be made to the Louisville Free Public Library, 301 York St., Louisville, KY, Memorial 40203.