Police identified the victims of the crash as Eric Paul, Jackson Eyre, Amanda Ferguson, Breanna Coleman and Jesus Salinas. Paul was 19, while the other four were 18.
Five Florida families are grieving after a fatal vehicle crash into a pond claimed the lives of five teens.
Police identified the victims of the crash as Eric Paul, Jackson Eyre, Amanda Ferguson, Breanna Coleman and Jesus Salinas. Paul was 19, while the other four were 18.
The driver of the vehicle lost control before crashing into the retention pond Sunday night, police told News-Press. By the time the car was able to be removed from the pond, all five inside the vehicle had lost their lives. They were declared dead on the scene, the spokeswoman said.
“Although we are your Fort Myers Police Department, at the end of the day we are mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, and our hearts are heavy for these five families,” police said. “We are actively working to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident and will provide updates as they become available.”
Four of the five teens worked together at Texas Roadhouse and had been working a shift prior to the crash, according to News-Press. After leaving the restaurant, the five teens went out to get food, the news site said.
Texas Roadhouse in Fort Myers announced that they would be closed on Monday to grieve the loss of their teammates. They also hosted the victims' families and friends to honor and remember their lost loved ones, News-Press reported.
“As a parent, you don’t want your child to pass on before you and now we’re at this point,” said Andrew Cox, Eric's father told WESH. “We’re just dying over it. We’re just a victim in the process of life. Another cycle of life. We’re just in the moment now. As every other family could be, but now it’s our family.”
