Cooper Lyles, 18, was identified as the teenager who died Dec. 2 in an industrial accident at the Traffic Materials Supplier plant at in St. Augustine, officials said.
Lyles graduated from St. Augustine High School in 2024 where he excelled in lacrosse, according to his obituary.
The lifelong St. Augustine resident was team captain and led his team to a district championship in 2024.
“Cooper was a shy, reserved, soft spoken young man that blazed his own path,” his obituary says. “On the field, he led by example, never, ever taking a play off. Giving praise, instruction and guidance when needed. When he spoke, it was usually hilarious, or wise.”
Lyles chose not to rush into college after graduation, instead taking a semester off to work at the plant and save money for college. He planned to begin coursework in January and ultimately embark on a career in Fish and Wildlife, according to the obituary.
The young man had a love of animals and was especially devoted to his cats Gator and Roscoe.
The “smart, loving, witty” teenager is survived by his mother, Aundrea Lyles, his father and stepmother, Jason and Andrea Lyles, his sister Ashlynn Taylor Lyles and his brother Ethan Lyles.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances of the fatality.
Emergency units were called to Traffic Materials Supplier on Industrial Drive at 10:40 a.m. and declared Lyles dead at the scene.
The sheriff’s office did not disclose further details.
According to the the company’s website, Traffic Materials Supplier manufactures products for marking roads.
Services for Lyles were held on Sunday at the St. Johns Agricultural Center.
The company did not respond to a request for comment.
