Memorial Held For El Camino College Student Killed In DUI Crash

TORRANCE (CBSLA) — Monday the El Camino College community memorialized a student killed last week in a DUI crash.

19-year-old Sladen Mohl was on the school's baseball team. So his family and friends remembered him on the field.

Tuesday afternoon the El Camino Warriors will take the field for the final series of the regular season and they will do so without their starting catcher.

But as his friends and family made abundantly clear Monday, though Mohl may not be here in body, he will always be with them in spirit.

"Your life was special the moment you were born," said Mohl's sister Paige.

Feet from the spot where Mohl spent this season catching for the Warriors, his sister Paige spoke on behalf of his parents and four siblings and remembered a life well spent.

"Not only did you master the art of skateboarding, you shredded the slopes on your skis and your snowboard. Everything you did you excelled at," said Paige.

The 19-year-old freshman came to Torrance this year from Anchorage -- earning straight As, a starting spot on the baseball team, and winning the hearts of his team with his out-going and goofy way.

"He thought it was the funniest thing in the world to play Careless Whisper as his walk up song," said Nate Fernley, El Camino College baseball coach. "Many times Sladen would get to first base and we're waiting to give a sign and Sladen's talking to the first baseman. And not just a 'hey. Good job.' But he was seriously talking to the first baseman."

Thursday night just after 8:30 p.m. Mohl was on the corner of Hawthorne and Sepulveda boulevards, on his way, friends say, to buy some protein powder, when police say a 16-year-old driving under the influence ran a red light, hitting two cars and Mohl as he was waiting to cross the street. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Monday his teammates eulogized him from the pitcher's mound. It was as almost as if they could still see Mohl at home plate. The star player from Alaska who came to California and in just a year made a life-long impression.

"That smile he had was something you can't forget. You look at his eyes. You look at his face and it's pure happiness," said Mohl's teammate.

Police arrested the 16-year-old driver. They have not released her name.

Mohl's family -- parents and four siblings -- came from Alaska to participate in the memorial service.

The coaches started a GoFundMe page to help them bring their son's body home.