Freeport cross country coach Melissa Schaeffer remembers Dylan Tarbi as someone with talent and a great work ethic.

Dylan, 13, died Friday evening, May 24, after being hit by a pickup while riding his bicycle on Cole Road in Buffalo Township.

“Dylan's talent on the cross country course was undeniable, but it was his work ethic that truly set him apart,” Schaeffer said in a statement to the Eagle. “He was always the first to help a teammate and cherished his friendships above all else. His infectious smile and unwavering determination lit up every practice. This is a devastating loss. We've not only lost a phenomenal runner, but a loyal and irreplaceable friend.“

Schaeffer said Dylan was voted “Rookie of the Year” by his teammates.

“As a seventh-grader, Dylan ran the second fastest 3K of all time on the Freeport Middle School record board,” she said. “He is also the second-fastest Freeport Middle School runner on our home course with a time of 11:27. Last season, Dylan medaled at the Kiski Area Invitational, Freeport JHS Invitational, and the Bald Eagle Invite placing in the top 10 in each race a a talented field of runners.”

Initial investigations into the crash that killed Dylan and injured his friend reveal that sun glare and the pitch of the road could be the main factors in the tragedy.

Emergency crews were called to the scene at 6:50 p.m. Friday evening to respond to a report of two boys hit by a pickup while riding their bicycles.

One boy, who the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office on Saturday identified as Dylan, was air-lifted from the scene and taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he died at 8:22 p.m.

The other boy, who has not been named, was taken to a local emergency department by his parents.

Buffalo Township Police Chief Tim Derringer said while the investigation into the crash is ongoing, initial evidence suggests the driver of the black pickup that struck the boys did not see them due to sun glare as he crested a hill.

He said no charges have been filed against the driver, whose name has not been released.

“It’s still currently being investigated,” Derringer said. “Once we review everything, a determination will be made.

“At this point, it looks like a very tragic accident.”

Derringer said the boys were riding on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic.

He said they were about a mile from home and headed to a candy store.

He said Dylan was not conscious at the scene, while his friend was walking and talking before being driven to the emergency department for assessment of minor injuries.

Derringer said officers are reviewing footage from a dash camera that was in the pickup truck. He is not aware of any other witnesses of the crash except the surviving boy.

He said the pickup driver was not impaired, stopped immediately and remained on scene in full cooperation with police.

The driver is a Buffalo Township resident, Derringer said.