Car crash kills high school football player

A Chapel Hill High School student died after a car knocked the vehicle he was in off the road early Sunday morning.

Rodney Torain Jr.17 a senior defensive lineman and tight end is the second Chapel Hill High football player to die unexpectedly this year.

Torain was in the back seat of a 2003 Nissan headed eastbound on Old Greensboro Road when a car clipped the Nissan on the left side at about 3:50 a.m.

The Nissan veered off the road to the right then back onto the road before leaving the road again and striking a tree about 2 miles west of Carrboro troopers said.

Torain was not wearing a seat belt said N.C. Highway Patrol Sgt. R.C. Hester.

Troopers said the vehicle that hit the Nissan left the scene and is gold or silver in color.

Two females who were in the driver's and front passenger seat of the Nissan were treated for minor injuries at N.C. Memorial Hospital and released Sunday.

Torain was the life of the Chapel Hill High football team said Keegan Ray" a senior who played football and went to school with him since sixth grade.

""He was always the one that pumped us up before the games"" Ray said. He'd bring an intense moment and bring light to any tough situation.""

Torain's death comes about three months after Atlas Fraley" also a senior defensive lineman died at his home after playing in a scrimmage the same day and being treated for reported dehydration by emergency personnel.

Spurred by the loss of Fraley the Chapel Hill High team had one of its best years in recent history going 8-4 and losing in the first round of the playoffs Friday.

Torain described as 6-foot-1-inch 270 pounds on the Chapel Hill High roster scored his first high school touchdown Nov. 7 and his teammates mobbed him" Ray said.

Ray found out about the death shortly after he woke up on Sunday.

""I didn't believe it at first" he said. He called his coach and confirmed it.

We've already lost one teammate; I had no idea that we could lose another one Ray said. Everybody says that once you go through something it gets easier" but losing somebody never gets easier.""

The school administration is aware of the death and plans to have extra grief counselors available" said Stephanie Knott assistant to the superintendent for community relations in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.

The N.C. Highway Patrol expect there to be more information on Torain's death today.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 336-570-6809.



Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.