CREVE COEUR • A 13-year-old student at the St. Louis Priory School died today after he stumbled into the path of a sport utility vehicle Wednesday while running cross-country with his team, police said.

Brandon Hsueh of Ladue died of his injuries at 12:50 a.m. today at Cardinal Glennon Medical Center in St. Louis, authorities said.

Creve Coeur police said Brandon was running with the school's cross country team along a paved sidewalk along the 12000 block of Conway Road near Williamsburg Road about 2:30 p.m. when he stumbled, fell into the road and was struck by a westbound Honda Pilot driven by a 27-year-old woman.

Creve Coeur police Lt. Gary Lively said investigators believe the driver could not have avoided hitting Brandon. He said the driver cooperated with police and there was no evidence that she was impaired or distracted.

The rest of the team was ahead of Brandon when he was hit but his coach trailed him by about 10 feet and witnessed him being hit, police and school officials said.

"He was the last in the group," Lively said.

Brandon was taken to Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur before being transferred to Cardinal Glennon, police said.

Police said Brandon was a seventh-grader at the St. Louis Priory School.

The Rev. Michael Brunner, the St. Louis Priory School's headmaster, said in a statement that Brandon's death "has brought the Priory family together and taught us what is most important." He said alumni and other Catholic schools in the area as well as those from abroad have offered support and prayers to the Priory community.

"No prayers are wasted or go unanswered," he said.

A school Mass to remember Brandon is set for 8:15 a.m. next Friday at the Abbey Church, Brunner said.

In response to the accident, St. Louis Priory on Friday ended cross country routes along Conway Road for seventh- and eighth-grade students.

Brandon's father, Dr. Eddy Hsueh, described his son as an artistic boy who played the cello, piano and took karate classes. He said his son also hand-painted Lego figurines, made models with clay and had written a few chapters of three different novels.

Dr. Hsueh, chief of general surgery at St. Louis University Hospital, said his son lived with asperger's syndrome, a disorder on the autism spectrum, which he said may have contributed to his artistic talents.

"That never seemed to limit his development," Dr. Hsueh said. "Maybe because of that, he had that kind of talent. Despite his asperberger's, he tried so hard to be a typical kid."

Dr. Hsueh said his son started at Priory this fall and joined the cross country team because the school requires students choose a sport.

Brandon donated several of his organs, including his heart, lungs, kidneys, pancreas and liver to help others, his father said.

"My son has really made me proud by probably saving more lives than I will," Dr. Hsueh said.

Dr. Hsueh said he understands it is common for schools to allow runners off campus, but he said he's not sure how he feels about those policies.

"I'm not sure there's anything wrong," he said. "When you have this kind of accident you probably wish they had not run outside campus."

He said he would urge drivers to be cautious and slow down when they see cross country teams running along city streets.