GREENSBORO — The Page High School community is mourning the death of former Pirates athlete Naseem Alston.

Alston, 20, died in a car crash Sunday afternoon in Mebane, according to information provided by 1st Sgt. Christopher Knox of the N.C. State Highway Patrol.

A State Highway Patrol trooper attempted to stop a Nissan being driven by James Jarmock Bethea, 20, of Greensboro at 3:34 p.m. for a speeding violation on I-85 near Mile Marker 160 in Orange County, the investigation's synopsis reads.

"The driver of the passenger vehicle began eluding authorities, initiating a vehicle pursuit," it says. "During the course of the pursuit, the driver exited onto Mebane Oaks Road and ultimately traveled onto East Washington Street in Mebane. The driver of the Nissan lost control on East Washington Street, traveling off the roadway, striking a ditch culvert and then caught fire. As a result of the collision, a passenger in the involved vehicle was pronounced deceased at the scene and the driver later died at UNC Hospital."

The passenger was identified as Naseem Alanis Alston, who was living in Whitsett. "The State Highway Patrol is investigating the collision," Knox wrote in an email. "No further details are available at this time."

"So sad," Matt Harder, Page's athletics director, said in a text message. "He was a great kid."

Alston graduated from Page in 2018. He was an honorable-mention HSXtra.com All-Area selection in football as a senior after catching 37 passes for 542 yards and five touchdowns for a Pirates team that finished 11-2. He also competed in track and field as a hurdler and went on to run for Louisburg College, although he was not enrolled at the two-year school for the second semester.

Story will be updated.