County officials have confirmed that the head soccer coach at Dawson County High School was killed Saturday morning in a car accident.
Dawson County School Superintendent Damon Gibbs confirmed the death of Coach Jed Lacey to AccessWDUN via email, saying he officially learned the news from county Sheriff Jeff Johnson.
"Sheriff Johnson confirmed to me early today that Coach Jed Lacey, long-time member of our Tiger family, was tragically killed in an automobile accident this morning," Gibbs said in his statement. "Coach Lacey was a beloved team member that will be missed greatly."
"We would ask for thoughts and prayers for the Lacey family as they deal with this horrible situation," he continued.
Related: Dawson's Lacey a personality, coach to remember
At the time of publication, it was unclear where the fatal accident occurred, or what time the accident took place.
Lacey was the longtime coach of the school's varsity boys and girls soccer teams, and also served as an assistant coach on the school's varsity football team.
As news of Lacey's death began to spread, an outpouring of support and remembrance began to appear on social media.
The official Twitter account of Dawson County football featured a post that read: "Our hearts are heavy today. Coach Lacey's energy and love for his players was unmatched."
Luke Martin, a former athlete at Dawson County High School, also posted his thoughts on Twitter.
"Heaven gained one the most passionate men I have ever had the chance to be around and been coach [sic] by," the post said. "Love you, Coach Lacy!"
Earlier this year, Lacey was named the Region 7-AAA Girls Coach of the Year, an award that was voted on by his fellow coaches.
