LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A Tuesday night head on collision on the Gene Snyder near Stonestreet, claimed the life of 25-year-old Trey Coleman.

A driver was going the wrong way, headed north in the southbound lanes, when Coleman’s car was hit.

He died at the scene.

Friends say he was a familiar sight on the court at basketball tournaments. Wearing the black and white stripes of a referee, Trey Coleman was a young man driven to succeed. He loved his job and won the admiration of many young players.

“He enjoyed it, he enjoyed it,” friend Carlos Mitchell said. “And as I said, the kids took to him. So that speaks volumes. They’re talking about him in the high schools, his tragedy right? That just shows me the impact he had on the youth.”

At 25, Coleman had his sights set on the big time, one day working Division-I college games and building a career. He was constantly picking the brain of friend and mentor Terrence Moorman.

“All the time,” Moorman said with a smile. “Like, what do I need to do? How can I be better? How am I running the floor? What are my mechanics like? Am I calling enough fouls.

“He was always smiling,” Moorman continued. “He was always the first one to the gym. He always took all the assignments. He never turned them down.”

But his friends say Trey Coleman was known for much more than his love for the game. It was his character, his kindness, his love for his family that had Moorman come to see him more as a nephew, a part of his family.

“It’s horrible,” Moorman said. “Nobody should wake up to this. No family should ever wake up to news like this. Nobody should have to bury their kids before them.”

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