Fatal weekend car crash victim was a Lexington high school baseball player
The 17-year-old victim from a fatal weekend car crash was a baseball player at a local Lexington high school, and the team is organizing a fundraiser.
Matthew Perrine, died about two hours after the head-on collision at a hospital Saturday, according to the Fayette County Coroner’s Office.
Perrine was a student at Frederick Douglass High School, Fayette County Public Schools spokesperson Dia Davidson-Smith confirmed
Perrine was also a member of the school’s junior varsity baseball team, according to the team’s website. The team has created a GoFundMe web page to provide support for the victims’ families.
“The Frederick Douglass Baseball Program would like to send heartfelt condolences to the family of Matthew Perrine,” the team said in a statement on its website. “Matthew was a beloved member of our baseball program, and he will be missed.”
The crash happened around 3 p.m. April 26 on the 3500 block of Bryan Station Road.
Lexington police said a passenger car and a pickup truck collided head-on and all seven occupants of the vehicles, five of whom were juveniles, were transported to a hospital.
One other person involved had life-threatening injuries, one had injuries that were not considered life-threatening and four others had injuries described as “very minor,” police previously said.
All money raised from the GoFundMe web page will be given to Perrine’s family and the family of another victim described as Perrine’s friend. As of noon Monday the web page had received over 200 donations and raised nearly $14,000.
The baseball team is also planning to host a celebration of life Sunday. More details about the ceremony are expected to be released later.
The police department’s Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating the wreck.
Other local baseball teams share tributes to victim
Other high school baseball teams in Lexington have offered support to Frederick Douglass’ program after Perrine’s death. The Tates Creek baseball team said it’s praying for Frederick Douglass’ program and encouraged people to donate to the GoFundMe.
“The Lexington baseball community is strong, and we are all with you,” Tates Creek baseball said in a Facebook post.
Paul Laurence Dunbar’s baseball team said it’s also praying for Perrine’s family and his friend and encouraged people to donate.
Eastern Little League, a franchise affiliate of Little League International in Lexington, offered support for Perrine’s family and encouraged people to donate. Perrine is an alum of the league and played for three separate teams.
Frederick Douglass’ freshman, JV and varsity teams are scheduled to play Henry Clay Tuesday afternoon, according to the team’s website.
This story was originally published April 28, 2025 at 10:20 AM.
