Victim in Sunday morning crash on I-290 was 2020 Leicester High grad

NORTHBOROUGH — A Leicester man died after a crash Sunday morning on Interstate 290, authorities said.

Massachusetts State Police identified Elijah Pye, 20, as the victim in the 8:54 a.m. crash.

In a press release, police said Pye was driving a Jeep Wrangler on I-290 eastbound when he sought to leave the highway at Exit 30A. But for unknown reasons, he drove off the road and crashed into several trees, according to police.

Pye was taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where he later died.

A passenger in Pye's vehicle, also a 20-year-old Leicester man, was also taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center with serious injuries. State police did not identify him.

Leicester High School Principal Theodore Zawada confirmed that Pye graduated from the school in 2020, competing on its football and basketball teams.

“I’m a little at a loss for words at this point,” Zawada said. “The news of Elijah’s passing this morning was difficult for both our students and faculty to hear and to deal with it. At this point, we are open to help all of our students grapple with this in any way that we can.”

Zawada said the school made sure there were services available Monday for students seeking counseling. He also said the administration reached out to the class of 2022 to offer support.

Zawada, who was athletic director at Leicester High during Pye’s time there, said school officials are not ready to discuss what kind of acknowledgment they planned in regard to Pye’s death.

Community members plan to remember Pye at an 8 p.m. vigil Tuesday on the Leicester Town Common.

The passenger in the car who suffered serious injuries is also a former Leicester High School student, Zawada said.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Telegram & Gazette reporter Craig S. Semon contributed to this report.

Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow Norman Miller on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Faceboook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Elijah Pye of Leicester died Sunday in crash on I-290 in Northborough