A student manager for the UNC – Charlotte men’s basketball who was from Chapel Hill was killed in a traffic accident last Thursday night.
Local outlets are reporting 19-year-old Austin Rainey was on a weekend trip to Washington, D.C., when the accident occurred.
Rainey was a 2014 graduate of Chapel Hill High School, according to Chapel Hill – Carrboro City School spokesperson Jeff Nash.
Charlotte 49ers basketball coach Mark Price said in a statement:
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rainey family during this difficult time. Austin was a beloved member of the 49ers basketball family. His uplifting presence will be greatly missed.”
Virginia State Police say Rainey was a backseat passenger in a van when a pickup truck drove into the van’s path on Route 13. As four other passengers in the van tried to get out, the van was hit by a tractor-trailer, killing Rainey on impact.
Authorities have charged the driver of the pickup truck with failure to yield the right of way.
The funeral for Rainey will be at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill, North Carolina next Friday, February 26 at 11:30 a.m.
The 49ers played at Western Kentucky on Saturday.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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