Family asks for help laying to rest 14-year-old boy killed in crash on 890

The family of a 14-year-old boy killed in a crash on Interstate 890 Saturday in Colonie is remembering him.

State Police said A’Mon Willis died after he was a passenger in a vehicle driven by a 17-year-old who was under the influence. The driver of the car filled with four teen passengers lost control and hit a car going in the opposite direction, authorities said.

Willis just started ninth grade at Albany High School. He was an honor roll student in the district last year.

His aunt, Ashley Melendez, told NewsChannel 13 that Willis is one of seven siblings from a large tight-knit family. He is also a twin.

His family says he was popular in school, a jokester who loved basketball.

His aunt says he wasn’t drinking or doing drugs Saturday.

The family has started a GoFundMe to pay for funeral expenses.

The driver is facing charges including aggravated vehicular homicide and is being held at the Oneida County Correctional Facility as an adolescent offender. The person’s name is not being released because of his or her age.