Eli Cramer -- a Milligan University track star -- was tragically killed after he was struck by a car while running in Virginia on Thursday.
He was only 20 years old.
The Virginia State Police confirms to TMZ Sports that five members of the cross country team were running along Williamsburg Pottery Road around 6:02 PM when three of them were hit by a Scion.
The driver -- identified as Jose Efrain Hernandez Mancia -- allegedly tried to flee the scene, but ended up crashing into a median on Route 199.
The injured Milligan track team members were transported to the Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center ... with two of the athletes suffering minor to serious injuries. Cramer, however, passed away as a result of his injuries.
Alex Mortimer -- one of the injured victims -- released a video from his hospital bed after the horrific crash saying he had a broken leg and a dislocated shoulder.
"I wanna exhort and thank you all for praying for me, the Milligan team and the university and institution," Mortimer said.
"Moments like this make you realize what is and is not important in your life."
Cramer was a star on the track at Milligan ... just last month, he ran a sub 15 minute 5K (14:30.46) in the Rams College Invitational.
FYI, that's well under a 5-minute mile pace.
"He held a contagious energy that was integral to his team and our campus community," the university said in a statement.
"Please continue to pray for Cramer's family as they begin to make sense of yesterday's tragedy. Pray for our entire cross country/track & field team, their coaches and our entire community."
26-year-old Mancia was arrested and charged with DUI-1st offense, DUI-involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, one felony count of hit-and-run, DUI-maiming and refusing to submit a breath/blood sample.
VSP says the crash is still under investigation.