Jacob Dwayne Ball, of Hurricane, was walking home along the tracks near Teays Valley Road across from the high school when a CSX train struck him.

A crisis team was at the school Wednesday morning to counsel students, who were signing cards and sharing memories of Ball, a junior at the school.

Tamera Rutledge, 41, Ball's neighbor on Harbour Lane, was also at the school Wednesday gathering signatures on a poster to give Ball's family.

Rutledge said she had known Ball all his life and that he loved music. He would have celebrated his 17th birthday on Tuesday, she said.

 At the accident scene Tuesday, people said Ball was known for listening to loud heavy metal music, something several people said he was doing at the time of the accident.

Several people at the scene said they heard at least one bus and the train's horns blaring before Ball was hit. Hurricane Middle School students on several buses witnessed the accident. Principal Doug Cross said counselors were also at the middle school Wednesday.

Rutledge believes Ball's death was an accident. But she said he was walking home along the railroad tracks -- nearly three miles -- instead of taking the bus because other students bullied him.

"He was bullied since he was little," Rutledge said. "My kids took up for him a lot."

Rutledge said she had been in contact with Ball's father, Dwayne Ball, who was making funeral arrangements in Huntington, where Ball's mother and sister live.

Timothy Wyrick, 19, who lived near Ball, said the two would often play video games together. Wyrick said he would also help Ball ward off bullies, once pulling him out of a trash can some other students had pushed him into.

"I'm glad he's in a better place,' he said.

Putnam County Schools Superintendent Chuck Hatfield said the county has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to bullying.

"When we're aware of it, we take care of it and address the issue," Hatfield said. "In this situation, I don't have any evidence of bullying, and the principal told me he was not aware of any [bullying] going on."

Hurricane High Principal Richard Campbell said Ball would be remembered as someone who was quiet and liked to talk about music.

"He will be missed," Campbell said.

 The principal said that when teachers were told about what had happened Wednesday morning, he told them there could be rumors and to "stifle those."

Thousands of people turned to social media websites to talk about Ball.  A page on Facebook created to remember Ball had thousands of members who left comments.

"I really hope this opens a lot of people's eyes that bully other students. Sorry to say but you're supposed to be high school mature students and love not hate. But why be mean to someone because they 'didn't fit in?' " Ashley Henson wrote on the page.

Makayla Hively, 16, a sophomore at Hurricane High, said students held a "blackout" on Wednesday, where everyone wore black in honor of Ball. She said her group of friends would eat lunch with him every day.

"Everyone [today] was discussing whether or not they thought it was on purpose or an accident," she said. "It's sad that it had to happen to him because he was such a good person. He was never mean to anyone, and it seemed as if he always looked for the best in everything and everyone."

Hurricane Police Detective Larry Angell said Ball's death was "nothing more than an accident."

Ball was not the first Hurricane High student killed this school year. Last September, Kara Stowers, 17, of Culloden, was killed in a head-on car crash.

A candlelight vigil will be held in front of Hurricane High School at 6:30 p.m. today.

Reach Kate White at kate.wh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1723.