A sophomore at Pelham High School died in a car accident on U.S. Highway 31 Sunday night.

Jeremy Farren, 16, was a defensive lineman on Pelham high School’s junior varsity football team.

He died in a one-vehicle accident Sunday night at about 9:30. Students and teammates gathered at the school Monday to grieve.

The mood at Pelham High School was sad and somber Monday. Students placed cards and messages on Farren’s locker.

On Tuesday morning, a group of students placed a cross at the site of the accident on U.S. 31, just in front of a shopping center at the intersection of Cahaba Valley Road.

Cindy Warner, spokesperson for Shelby County Schools, said counselors at Pelham High School took steps to make sure that students were handling the news on Monday.

Counselors from the Amelia Center were brought into the school, along with an additional counselor from Thompson High School.

The counseling center at the high school was open to students who needed to talk, Warner said. Many of them did.

Some students were shocked and upset at the news.

Some of them are getting a quick lesson in death and grieving, Warner said.

At least a couple of students decided to check out early on Monday.

Pelham football coach Sammy Queen held a team meeting Monday morning to talk with players. They met again Monday afternoon during practice.

In particular, Warner said that counselors paid close attention to classmates in Farren’s classes.

Counselors followed his class schedule throughout the day and talked with students who wanted to share memories of the popular sophomore.

&uot;From what I understand, he was a very well-liked student. Sometimes in high school you get these groups of different friends, but Jeremy was well liked by everyone,&uot; Warner said.

Lt. Larry Palmer of the Pelham Police Department said investigators are still working at the scene to determine what happened.

From preliminary work, he said Farren was traveling south on U.S. 31 when his car veered to the left side of the road.

He struck a ditch and the car vaulted before rolling door to door. The car eventually came to a stop on one side, Palmer said.

Farren did not die at the scene. He was transported to a hospital and later died, Palmer said.

No other cars were struck, and Palmer said so far he does not believe any criminal charges, drugs or alcohol were involved.

Palmer said that he does believe that Farren was speeding, and that speed was a factor in the accident.

A female passenger was not injured and was not transported.

She may be critical in the follow-up investigation, Palmer said.

Police were looking for another car that may provide a witness to the accident