Steve Shirilla Placed on Leave After Crash Documentary Release
Steve Shirilla was placed on administrative leave from Mary Queen of Peace School in Cleveland after the crash documentary "The Crash" was released. The school tied the move to social media allegations about poor judgement, putting a Catholic school teacher at the center of the fallout from a case already tied to a July 31, 2022 fatal wreck in Strongsville, Ohio.
Mary Queen of Peace action
Mary Queen of Peace School told parents, "We are investigating allegations made on social media that one of our teachers has demonstrated poor judgement." It added, "Upon learning of the allegation the school acted immediately and placed the teacher on administrative leave."
The school also said, "The investigation is ongoing." According to the school’s website, Steve Shirilla is the art and digital media teacher. That puts the school in the position of managing a personnel matter while the documentary brings renewed attention to the teacher’s family name and to the school community.
Strongsville crash fallout
On July 31, 2022, Mackenzie Shirilla crashed her vehicle in Strongsville while traveling 100 mph and slammed into a brick wall. Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan were killed in the crash.
In 2023, a Cuyahoga County judge found Mackenzie Shirilla guilty of multiple charges, including murder and aggravated vehicular homicide, and she was sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole after 15 years served. The Netflix documentary puts that case back in view, and the school’s leave shows how quickly attention around a family member can spill into a classroom.
Parents and school pressure
A parent told 19 News that students did love and respect Mr. Shirilla as a teacher, but said the administrative leave came from community backlash. Another parent said, "Our school and the Catholic Diocese do their background checks and due diligence while hiring teachers."
That same parent added, "No amount of background searches would tell you what’s happening in somebody’s home, so the school shouldn’t receive backlash and threats because of the actions of a teacher’s child." The school serves ages 5 to 14 years old, and one parent said, "There is no reason to be threatening an elementary school."
For Mary Queen of Peace, the immediate issue is now personnel management, not the documentary itself: the teacher is off campus, the investigation is still open, and the school has already told parents it moved immediately after learning of the allegation.
