Moon Township community mourns loss of high school senior after fatal crash on I-79

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Moon Township community is mourning the loss of a high school senior after a fatal crash on I-79.

Police said that 18-year-old Luke Cooper drove over standing water, began to hydroplane, lost control of his car and then slammed into a guide rail.

His local hockey community and his school community are extending condolences.

On Thursday, we spoke with Cooper’s family, who asked for privacy but did share one of his senior photos with Channel 11 News.

Cooper, a senior at Moon Area High School, was a varsity hockey player for the district and played for the Moon Hockey Association. On Thursday, fellow players placed hockey sticks outside of their doors to honor their friends and teammate.

State police said that just after 10 p.m. emergency crews were called to the Franklin Park area of I-79, just north of the I-279 split, for a single-vehicle accident.

RELATED >>> Moon Area High School student killed, another teen injured in crash on I-79

When state police arrived, they found Cooper dead.

Police have confirmed that Cooper was wearing a seatbelt, but due to the impact of the crash, it was ripped off.

The Moon Area School District extended its condolences and will have grief counselors available.

A GoFundMe for Cooper’s funeral expenses can be found here.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2023 Cox Media Group