LAUREL, Md. (WJZ) — Many are mourning the loss of a teenager who died after being hit by a car while on his way to school. Jessica Kartalija has more.

Fifteen-year-old Jaelin Ashe was a beloved JV football player and young leader in ROTC at Meade High School. He died in his uniform after being struck and killed Thursday. He was hustling across Route 198 at Russett and Laurel.

Van Ash is his father.

“He loved life. He loved football; that’s all he did was play football. He inspired a lot of kids at his school; a born leader,” Ash said.

Friends from Meade High School came quickly to see the intersection and grieve.

“I just really miss him; I wish he was here right now,” said a fellow student.

According to the Anne Arundel County police, Ashe—a freshman at Meade—was in the crosswalk, crossing against the light in the dark when he was struck by a car. All of this is within view of a makeshift memorial to another crossing victim, 38-year-old BB Kahn, who was hit in a similar circumstance in February, 2009.

“It’s devastating,” said a student.

Walkers here say the wait time for the light is long, but necessary.

“You can’t predict the stopping of some of these cars,” said a walker.

“Jaelin was a casualty of this intersection,” Ashe said.

According to police, the driver was not speeding or impaired when the crash occurred and he will not be charged.

Ashe was coming from his girlfriend’s bus stop when he was hit. He had just seen her off to school.