Update: Former JSerra Varsity Tennis Player Dies in Crash on 57 Freeway

Updated at 1:08 p.m and 4:19 p.m. with information from the Orange County coroner, and from Principal Tom Waszak and City News Service.

JSerra Catholic High School is seeking prayers for an alumnus who died Sunday after being struck by a car on the northbound 57 freeway, just south of Katella Avenue in Orange.

According to Principal Tom Waszak, students and faculty are mourning the death of Cameron Cook, 18, who was a scholar-athlete when he attended JSerra, meaning he earned a GPA higher than a 3.5 and was a varsity tennis player.

"I am sure that I speak for all of Cameron’s teachers and friends at JSerra—this is a great tragedy to befall the JSerra community. Cameron was a really nice person who displayed the attributes of a high quality JSerra student," Waszak wrote in his blog post.

According to the Orange County coroner, Cook was hit by a car at 11:57 p.m. Saturday. He died at 5:08 a.m. Sunday at the UCI Medical Center in Orange. 

City News Service reported that Cook was killed when another vehicle knocked him over a railing, and he fell about 55 feet onto a cement embankment.

He was a passenger in a 2001 Chevrolet Camaro involved in a solo-vehicle crash. The vehicle partially blocked the far right lane, and the driver and Cook got out and stood behind it on the right shoulder, according to the CHP.

The driver got back in the Camaro after a good Samaritan told him to activate the emergency lights so passing vehicles would see them. Cook remained outside the car.   

A northbound Honda Civic then struck the Camaro, pushing it into Cook and knocking him over the railing of the overpass.

"He was a hard working
student who earned good grades and a top player on the tennis team. He also enjoyed sharing his athletic gifts by teaching young kids how to play tennis," said Waszak.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

- City News Service Contributed to this report.