Taylor Swift fan killed by alleged drunk driver after Houston live performance
A success-and run driver struck and killed a Taylor Swift fan heading residence from her live performance in Houston over the weekend, police stated.
Alan Bryant Hayes, 34, was charged with third-offense felony driving whereas intoxicated and failure to cease and render assist in connection to the Saturday evening crash, Houston Police reported.
The sufferer, 20-year-old Jacob Lewis, was driving again from Swift’s “Eras” Tour at NRG Stadium when the automotive he drove grew to become stalled on the Southwest Freeway, members of the family and police stated.
“His final act was to push his sister to security on a darkish avenue,” his father Steve Lewis advised USA TODAY on Tuesday morning. “He was a vibrant mild… touched so many individuals. We’re all scuffling with this loss.”
A disabled car and a 911 name
In keeping with a preliminary investigation, Lewis was driving a crimson Buick LaCrosse when the automotive broke down. Lewis acquired out of the automotive and was making an attempt to push it from behind whereas his sister was behind the wheel, police stated.
Hayes, driving a black Volkswagen Beetle, then struck Lewis and the Buick, police stated.
The sufferer’s mom, Karyn Lewis, stated his sister, 26-year-old April Bancroft, attended the live performance along with her brother and witnessed her brother’s dying.
“I instantly ran to him and referred to as 911,” Bancroft told ABC 13. “And that was it.”
Houston Hearth Division paramedics arrived on scene and pronounced the sufferer lifeless. Bancroft was additionally injured and police stated she obtained remedy at a hospital.
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Hayes fled and was adopted by a wrecker driver to a close-by avenue the place he ditched the car fled on foot. He was later taken into custody, handled for minor accidents and booked into jail.
Jail data showed Hayes remained incarcerated on $120,000 bail Tuesday.
‘An incredible younger man’
In keeping with his mom, Lewis graduated from Taylor Excessive College in Katy and was set to start out his sophomore 12 months within the musical theater program at Sam Houston State College.
“Jacob was a tremendous younger man,” his mom stated. “Everybody says he gave one of the best hugs. He towered over everybody at 6 foot 5 inches, however by no means made anybody really feel ‘small’ He made positive to incorporate everybody and was accepting of them for who they had been. He got here alive on stage. Performing and singing had been every little thing to him. It gave him such pleasure.”
She stated her son spent his summers with Theatre Victoria in Texas for summer season camps and performing of their musicals.
Enthusiastic about his research, his friends, and his hobbies, his father stated his pastimes additionally included taking part in, Pokeman, Dungeons and Dragons and video video games.
“It was Jacob’s love of Pokémon that launched this household to the Pokémon Buying and selling Card Sport, and he would qualify for the Pokémon World Championships 3 instances,” his father wrote. “Jacob competed in opposition to gamers from all around the world in Vancouver in 2013, Boston in 2015, and San Francisco in 2016.”
Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending information for USA TODAY. Attain her at nalund@usatoday.com and comply with her on Twitter @nataliealund.