South Carolina Teen Football Star Killed in Off-Road Vehicle Crash

A promising South Carolina high school football player, 16-year-old Cruz Evatt Ellenburg, died Saturday evening in an off-road vehicle accident. Ellenburg, a sophomore wide receiver and backup quarterback for Pickens High School, was a passenger in a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) that overturned. He was unrestrained at the time of the crash, according to reports.

News of Ellenburg's death sent shockwaves through the western South Carolina community, with many sharing tributes to the young athlete.

"From 6th grade all the way to your final moments, I’m glad I was here for it all. I’m grateful I got to call you my best friend," one of Ellenburg's friends wrote on Instagram. His girlfriend also shared her grief, recalling their shared future plans.

Pickens High School issued a statement expressing condolences to Ellenburg's family and the wider school community. The district stated, "Our hearts are with Cruz’s family, friends, classmates, and the entire Pickens High School community during this very difficult time." The district requested privacy for the family and asked the community to keep them in their thoughts.

Local and national political figures also offered their sympathies. U.S. Representative Sheri Biggs posted on Instagram, "My heart is broken at the tragic news of the death of Cruz Ellenberg, a Sophomore at Pickens High School following a UTV accident." She added, "I join the entire upstate in mourning his loss and join in their prayers for his family, friends, classmates, and the entire community."

Pickens Mayor Isaiah Scipio memorialized Ellenburg as a "vibrant student" who was "gone too soon." He stated, "We as a community grieve over the loss of a young vibrant student, Cruz Evatt Ellenburg and I believe we all feel that he is gone too soon."

A fundraiser has been established to assist the Ellenburg family with living expenses. The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.