High school football player dies in UTV crash: 'A bright light'

A high school football player in South Carolina died in a UTV crash over the weekend, local reports said. Cruz Ellenburg, 16, was killed in a crash just before 5 p.m. Sunday, according to FOX Carolina. The report said Ellenburg, a student at Pickens High School, went off the road on private property and the vehicle rolled over, as stated by the coroner. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Pickens County School District confirmed that the 10th-grade student passed away on September 20, 2026, following an ATV collision on private property, and said counselors would be available for support. Coach James Reynolds described Ellenburg as a bright light in the program.