FORT MYERS, FLORIDA: In a deadly car crash five teenagers were killed in Fort Myers, Florida when the car plunged into the river on Sunday, June 25. The five Lee County teens were retrieved dead from their car on Monday morning. Four of the teenagers aged between 18 and 19 were told to be very close friends who worked at the Texas Redhouse in Fort Myers. Identified as Breanna Coleman, Eric Cox, Jackson Eyre, Amanda Ferguson, and Jesus Salinas, the investigators in the preliminary finding believe they lost control of the black Kia sedan at Top Golf and went off the road, and sank into the retention pond.
Meanwhile, people are flocking to the memorial site outside the Texas Redhouse to pay their tributes. "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of four of our Roadies," the Texas Redhouse announced in a Facebook post. "Our team is grieving alongside their families and friends. We appreciate the support of our Ft Myers community during this difficult time. We are closed today, Monday, June 26, and will re-open tomorrow, June 27," they wrote adding a hashtag mentioning the victims as a #RoadieFamily.
Who was Breanna Coleman?
Breanna Coleman,18, is one of the teenagers whose dead bodies were retrieved from the retention pond along with her friends. She had recently celebrated her high school graduation. She worked at the Texas Roadhouse restaurant. Family and friends gathered near the memorial, and on Monday, people lit lanterns in memory of the late teens. Even a tow truck driver, who helped pull the vehicle from the pond, also came with flowers to pay his tribute. Some of the family members said the community support was helping them grieve.
“It gives me a little bit of closure,” Breanna Coleman’s cousin Victor Ayala told NBC2. Ayala said he is been in shock ever since Breanna’s dad called him on Mondy morning revealing the tragic news of Coleman's death. “The first thing that went through my mind this morning when my cousin called me is, wow this can’t be happening and I could not believe it,” told the station.
'She was very smart too'
He expressed they celebrated her high school graduation just a week ago. “She was very smart too, happy that she was going to go to college. Ah, it’s just hard. They have grown up with us. They recently graduated high school with us and [they are] a huge part of our family and a chunk of our heart is missing," said Alan Hansen Manager of Texas Roadhouse to Fox4.
