South Carolina teen dies in car accident on way home from father's grave

Crews work the scene after Matthew McClellion, 15, ran off the road in a fatal car crash Sept. 7, 2012. / WSPA-TV

(CBS/AP) ANDERSON, S.C. - A 15-year-old returning home from his father's gravesite was involved in a fatal one-car collision on Friday, the South Carolina Highway Patrol said.

Anderson County Chief Deputy Coroner Charlie Boseman says Matthew "Jet" McClellion was speeding when he lost control of his 1998 Mercedes convertible. CBS Spartanburg affiliate WSPA-TV reported that McClellion had driven off the right side of the road, hit a drain pipe and overturned.

Boseman says the teen died on impact about 8 p.m. Friday. Matthew was the only person in the car. A friend was driving behind him.

The coroner's report stated that speed was a factor in the accident, according to WSPA-TV.

The T.L. Hanna High School sophomore had visited his father's grave minutes earlier. Richard McClellion died June 19 after a long battle with cancer.

Matthew's funeral was set for 4 p.m. Monday. A candlelight vigil was scheduled to be held at the high school at 9 p.m. Extra counselors were made available at the high school to talk to students.

A makeshift memorial at the site Saturday included baseball bats, baseballs and flowers.

Deputy coroner Don McCown told WSPA-TV that accidents like these could be avoided if teens are better educated about proper behavior while driving.

"I don't think young people are intentionally not following rules. I think they just forget in the haste of the moment, peer pressure or a challenge by friends, and all those things can have serious repercussions," McCown said.

[unclebernies]

Wonder if he was texting.

[MegaProcrastination]

"""A makeshift memorial at the site Saturday included baseball bats, baseballs and flowers."""

Why, just why? I am so sick of seeing roadside memorials everywhere I drive. They're so distracting it's a wonder they haven't caused even more wrecks in those places. Remember the person in your heart and if necessary, visit the cemetery where their body is buried. Keep the memorials where they belong.

Having said that, this is terrible and I do feel for the friends and family. It's never easy losing someone suddenly and the younger they are the harder it is.

[makemyday2day]

Mega - I couldn't agree with you more!! This has long been a 'pet peeve' to me and rather morbid. What are the grave sites for? I lost both my younger sisters in accidents years ago and there was no way in h#!! we'd have ANY reminder along the roadway of where their accidents were! Their memories live on in my heart always.

This is, indeed, a tragedy for the family and friends: First the father and now his son. My heartfelt condolences to them.

[Trus4]

If you guys are trying to add negative connotation with these comments please stop. Our school has lost one of the best guys there and we miss Jet more than anything. No he was not illegally driving, no he did not have a seat-belt on, and yes he was speeding. Those things we cannot change. Being rude or disrespectful is not needed after a 15 year old boy just passed. Put yourself in his mothers position, how would you feel reading negative comments on EVERY news website about her parenting (after just loosing her husband) and/or her son. Our school has come together like a family and we won't just sit here and let people talk bad about Jet or his family.

[npvere]

I can't even begin to imagine the pain his mother must be in. That poor woman.

[djseavy]

I think that statement was to try to soothe over the tragic situation, but the fact is younger people do infact deliberatly ignore the rules of the road. In MN it's illegal for a minor to drive and text, yet at stop lights I'll see teens attempting to hide the phone while texting. The law is clear - it's not legal even at stop lights, yet they do it anyway. They read about other teens dying because of their behavior behind the wheel, yet they believe it couldn't happen to them. I doubt "Jet" said this morning - "If I drive like a maniac, I could die in an accident." We all were there once, believing we're indestructible. "Jet" proves otherwise.

[twmat311]

"I don't think young people are intentionally not following rules. I think they just forget in the haste of the moment, peer pressure or a challenge by friends..."

Drive through most small towns on a Friday or Saturday night; lots of them out there, not intentionally forgetting the driving laws.

A 15 year old nicknamed "Jet" with a 1998 Mercedes convertible. That's a good start.