Michigan Teen Killed in Sledding Accident

Boy was being pulled by a vehicle
By Luke Roney,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 4, 2016 9:41 AM CST
Michigan Teen Killed in Sledding Accident
A group of kids get a face full of snow while sledding in the fresh snow on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015, at Tantra Park in Boulder, Colo.   (Jeremy Papasso/Daily Camera via AP)

A Michigan teen on a sled being towed by a vehicle was killed Saturday when he slammed into a tree, Fox 17 reports. Mason Dykstra, 15, of Manlius Township was transported to a hospital after the accident, and later died. Students and staff gathered at Hamilton High School on Sunday to share memories of the freshman football player. "Our world was rocked and our hearts are heavy!" the school tweeted after the accident. School Superintendent David Tebo says Mason was "the kid next door," WOOD-TV reports. "Just a kid with a smile on his face—normal, everyday kid.”

An Allegan County Sheriff’s Office tells WOOD-TV that the accident, which occurred on private property, is being investigated as a "family matter." Authorities, per the Detroit Free Press, plan on reconstructing the accident this week as part of their investigation. It is not clear if charges will be filed against the driver. "He was a good kid," Principal Tim Reeves tells the Detroit Free Press. "Just a good kid all the way around." A GoFundMe campaign has been started on the Dykstra family's behalf. (More Michigan stories.)

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