PINE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A 16-year-old boy was struck and killed by a vehicle early Saturday morning in Pine Township, Indiana County.
State police said the teenager, identified as Kai Hrabovsky, of Homer City, was hit shortly before 4 a.m. when a vehicle went off Mt. Zion Road and into a grassy area. They believe he was walking along the road after leaving a prom afterparty.
Hrabovsky was a sophomore at Homer-Center High School, according to the Indiana County Coroner’s Office. %
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The 20-year-old driver fled after the accident and was later found at his home, authorities said. Alcohol is believed to be a factor.
Charges against the driver are pending. He is expected to be charged with homicide by vehicle.
Homer-Center High School Principal Jody Rainey told Channel 11 News on Saturday that the entire community will work together to deal with the tragedy.
As students returned to school on Monday, Hrabovsky was remembered as a well-liked student who was involved in sports.
“Kai was that type of kid that so many kids associated with and attached to,” Rainey said. “He always had that smirkish kind of grin like, did he just get away with something? But very respectful, very well-mannered, and I feel like Kai was really starting to find himself.”
He played basketball and was on the team that recently made a run at the state playoffs. Friends said he could always put a smile on their faces.
“I hope there's some lessons that can be learned, not only with how Kai lived his life, but also with how it tragically ended. There's some things that our kids could learn from that,” Rainey said.
Grief counselors will be on hand for students, staff and parents throughout the week.
Reconstruction teams have wrapped up their investigation at the scene, where a makeshift memorial has been started for Hrabovsky. It could be up to six weeks before the driver is charged as investigators await toxicology and blood results.