Child Dies In Car Crash On The Way To Football Game
AVENAL, Calif. (KMPH) — The Avenal community is grieving the loss of a 10-year-old boy, who was killed in car crash this weekend.
Even Perez was on his way to a Pee-Wee football game when the accident happened.
He and four other kids were in the backseat of a car that crashed on I-5 in Coalinga.
CHP says one of the tires on the car they were in blew out.
The driver lost control, the car flipped over, and landed in the center divide.
Three kids were thrown from the car - none of the kids in the car were wearing a seat belt.
Even's coaches say, they'll never forget his big smile.
"Even was a go getter, in wrestling, basketball, football. He enjoyed every sport his mom signed him up for, he made his mom proud," said Ramon Vargas, head coach of the Avenal Pirates.
Even wore number 7 and had been an the team for the last three years.
Sunday, his teammates gathered for a somber challenge - helping raise money for their friend's funeral.
Organizers say they washed about 700 cars.
"That's how much Even Perez was loved," said Vargas.
The driver and the other four kids in the car were taken to the hospital after the crash; they have all been released.
