Tragic Crash Kills 19-Year-Old College Lacrosse Player

Payton Cook, a 19-year-old men’s lacrosse player at Tusculum University, tragically passed away in a car accident that also injured four other students on December 5. The injured students have all been released from the hospital, according to information shared by the university on Facebook and reported by Tennessee news station WJHL. The accident occurred in Tusculum, Tennessee, when the vehicle carrying the students veered off the road and hit a tree on a left-hand turn. Payton, who was from Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, was a freshman studying business administration at the university and a member of the men’s lacrosse team. The university held a memorial service for Payton at Pioneer Arena to honor his memory. The community, including rivals like Caleb Mimms from Emory & Henry University, came together to mourn the loss and offer support to those impacted by the tragedy. Despite the difficult circumstances, Tusculum University is ensuring that students have the necessary accommodations to cope with the loss and continue with their academic commitments. Payton Cook, also known as Cookie, will be dearly missed by his friends, family, teammates, and the entire university community.