Teenager killed in Washington County crash remembered
WASHINGTON COUNTY (KDKA) -- A 13-year-old boy killed in a crash last week in Washington County is being remembered by those who knew him best.
Jayden Anderson was a seventh-grader at Beth-Center School District. Several of his coaches told KDKA on Monday that he was a great athlete with a bright future. The teen died at the hospital after he was involved in a car crash in Washington County on Friday night.
"It doesn't seem real yet. I'm not sure if it ever will," said Tammy Pendland.
Pendland, a coach with the Beth Center Instructional Baseball League, said Anderson's sudden death came as a shock. She's a close family friend who coached the teenager in basketball for the past five years.
Pendland said the teen was an incredible athlete who played football, basketball and flag football.
"Two days before this happened, I was just at his flag football game. When I left, I told his mom to let me know when the next game is. It was supposed to be yesterday," Pendland said Monday.
The crash happened around 4:30 p.m. on Friday on Sunset Drive in West Pike Run Township. A makeshift memorial is now a reminder of what happened.
The coroner's report says Anderson was the front-seat passenger. State police said the driver was speeding and lost control of the vehicle. It struck an embankment, rolled multiple times and launched in the air before coming to its final resting spot. All three people in the car were ejected.
"We come running out because the driver was screaming help us, help us," said a neighbor.
KDKA talked to a neighbor who heard the crash and saw the aftermath.
"The little boy got out of the back. He had an angel watching over him," said the neighbor.
While Anderson didn't make it, he's someone the community will never forget.
"He was just a great kid. Very respectful, loving, caring. He'd give you the shirt off his back if he could," said Pendland.
State police say this is an active investigation. The district attorney says it's unclear if charges will be filed until the investigation is complete.
