William Kyle Parks Obituary: Nick Reveiz saw Andre Sterling just last Sunday. Four days later, Reveiz still was struggling with the realization that their meeting was the last time he’ll ever see his former Farragut High School football teammate.

“It’s hard for us to even imagine,” said Reveiz, an assistant football coach at Carson-Newman University. “Him being here one second and then literally leaving this earth.”

Police on Thursday identified Sterling as the driver killed Wednesday in a crash on Interstate 40 in West Knoxville. The former Admirals star running back, 24, died in the 1:10 a.m. crash when he was ejected from a 2001 Acura while trying to get on I-40 East at the Interstate 140 West on-ramp.

Police investigators determined Sterling dropped the left side tires of the Acura off the curving ramp pavement and lost control when he tried to whip the car back onto the roadway. The car ran off the right side of the ramp, down an embankment and rolled several times, ejecting Sterling.

Police said speed, alcohol and failure to use a seat belt were factors in the fatal crash. He was dead at the scene.

Farragut principal Stephanie Thompson released a statement Thursday on behalf of the school, which read: “The faculty, staff and students of Farragut High School are saddened by the tragic death of 2008 graduate and former student-athlete Andre Sterling. All of us who knew him will remember his family in our thoughts and prayers.”

Admirals senior offensive lineman Nathan Gilliam recalled a specific memory of Sterling on Wednesday on Twitter, tweeting: “I will always remember him running into that end zone every time he touched the ball.”

In his senior year, Sterling racked up more than 2,700 yards rushing scored 29 touchdowns. He was a Mr. Football finalist.

Sterling was signed by Ole Miss, but opted to enroll at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia. Sterling explained he needed the Hargrave stopover to help him develop more discipline for academics and physically to play in the SEC.