Popular athletic director, 32, is killed after being hit by dump truck during momentary 'distraction' with two young kids in car 

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A popular high school athletic director was killed in a traffic accident on Saturday when his car veered into the oncoming lane and was hit by a dump truck.

Police believe Edward Allen, 32, died as the result of a 'moment of distraction', according to the Poughkeepsie Journal.

He had his two young daughters in the car with him at the time - Codie who is three and Tatum who is nearly two. His wife is pregnant with the couple's third child. 

Both of the young girls remain in hospital. One of them sustained 'life-threatening injuries', according to the Journal.

Edward Allen was killed in a car accident Saturday - he leaves behind his two children, Tatum (left) and Codie (center) and his pregnant wife, Emily - the children are in the hospital 

Allen, who worked at Millbrook School, a private school in Dutchess County, New York, was driving on Route 44 on Saturday around 9am when his BMW was hit head-on by a dump truck carrying gravel.  

Police do not believe Allen was using a cell phone at the time of the accident. 

The truck was driven by 47-year-old Richard Colesanti, who works for Poughquag-based Bulldog Concrete, according to the East Dutchess Daily Voice. 

The accident caused it to overturn, spilling a load of gravel. Colesanti was not injured, police said.

The athletic director was very popular with students, staff and parents - he tragically left behind three children

Allen (left) was considered a surrogate parent to many of the athletes at the school - parents said they sent their kids to the school specifically because he worked there

The Millbrook School is a private college prep school located in bucolic Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley

Allen had worked at Millbrook since 2009 and also taught math, worked as a dorm parent and led community service projects.

Allen coached boys' soccer and baseball, and had been head coach of the girls' varsity hockey team since 2012. 

On news of his death, students and parents poured out their feelings about Allen - who was a mentor to many of the children on campus.

'Coach Allen was the deciding factor in sending my daughter to Millbrook,' said parent Coral Paige on the school's Facebook page.

'I'm absolutely torn up to hear of the passing of Mr. Ed Allen,' wrote former student Ned Oliver on Facebook. 

'My adviser, baseball coach, dorm parent, math teacher, and role model. I can honestly say I would not have made it through the Millbrook School had it not been for the support and love from Mr. Allen. Hands down the most level-headed, down-to-earth man I have ever known,'

'This is an incalculable loss for all who knew and loved Ed, starting with his family. It is an equal tragedy for the Millbrook School community,' the Millbrook school wrote on its Facebook page.

The school is vowing to help take care of the Allen children.  

A YouCaring page has been created to help the Allen family financially. It has so far raised more than $95,000.