Campaign raises money for family of Hillsborough boy killed by construction truck

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for the family of a 5-year-old boy who was struck and killed by construction truck Monday.

The boy, identified on the fundraising page as Everett Copeland, was standing in a driveway in the Forest Ridge subdivision when a parked construction truck came loose and rolled down a small hill.

The GoFundMe page, called “Love for Everett Copeland,” had raised $10,942 by Tuesday evening, already surpassing its $10,000 goal.

It was created by Ashleigh Sanzone of Hillsborough, who said on the page that she is a longtime friend of Everett’s parents, Bill and Ashley. She said she went to high school and college with Ashley.

“We would love to be able to provide Bill and Ashley with funds to cover expenses for Everett’s burial as well as alleviate the financial stress that comes with losing a child,” Sanzone wrote on the page. “Please be praying for Bill and Ashley, Everett’s twin Cate and little sister Madeleine.”

In one update, Sanzone said Everett’s parents were thankful for the outpouring of support.

“They are broken but finding comfort in the kindness of family, friends and strangers alike,” she wrote.

Hillsborough police charged Alejandro Suarez, of Spider Lily Lane in Angier, with misdemeanor death by vehicle. Police determined Suarez was responsible for controlling the truck.

The truck was being loaded with dirt when it became loose. It damaged landscaping at several properties in the subdivision, which is still under construction, before striking the boy and the house at 205 Dogwood Bloom Lane.

This story was originally published December 27, 2016 at 6:19 PM with the headline "Campaign raises money for family of Hillsborough boy killed by construction truck."