13-Year-Old Boy Dead After Being Struck by Truck While Riding Bike Home from Convenience Store
The driver claimed he couldn’t see the boys when he hit Dylan Tarbi and another teen in Pennsylvania on Friday, May 24, according to police
Kiski Valley Baseball and Softball Association/Facebook
Dylan TarbiA 13-year-old boy has died after he was hit by a truck while riding his bike home from a convenience store in Pennsylvania.
Dylan Tarbi and another teen were biking down Cole Road in Buffalo Township on Friday, May 24, when the pickup truck struck them, according to Butler Eagle and ButlerRadio.com.
Police said the driver claimed he couldn’t see the boys when he hit them, CBS affiliate KDKA-TV reported.
Buffalo Township Police Chief Tim Derringer said the boy was transported by LifeFlight helicopter to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he later died, per the Eagle.
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Police originally said the boys were traveling home from a candy store, but have since said the pair was returning from a GetGo Cafe and Market, according to NBC affiliate WPXI.
The second child involved in Friday’s crash sustained minor injuries, according to the Eagle.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing, per the reports. The driver, who remained at the scene after the collision, has not been charged.
PEOPLE has reached out to Buffalo Township Police for comment.
Locals claimed it can sometimes be difficult to see while driving on Cole Road, where the crash occurred, due to the sun, according to KDKA-TV.
Rich Cantolina, Tarbi’s boxing coach, said the teen “always had a smile on his face,” according to ABC affiliate WTAE.
“One thing that always stood out to me was how polite he was,” Cantolina recalled. “He was that kid in the gym that we were lucky to have.”
Dylan's father, Keith Tarbi, said in an email to TribLIVE.com that his son was "a gentle giant — he was the epitome of kindness and gentleness.”
Tarbi was a student at Freeport Middle School, where counselors have been made available in the wake of his death, according to ButlerRadio.com.
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Two baseball teams, including the Freeport team that Tarbi played for, paid tribute to the late teen during their game Tuesday evening, according to the Kiski Valley Baseball and Softball Association.
Both teams wore No. 88 for Tarbi, too. “They had it all planned out,” Freeport coach Joe Logsdon said of the Kiski Valley team, per WTAE. “You know, we just had to show up and play.”
"If we can honor Dylan and his legacy and his love for the game, we're going to help in any way we can,” Kiski coach Nathan Oleath told the station.
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