Tragedy in Tatum

[Ranger Mom]

Prayers needed for several Tatum families.

Just read on another site where 4 girls were killed last night after the game (two of the four were high school cheerleaders).

Evidently they were backing out of a driveway when a speeding truck without the lights on hit them. All four girls in the car were killed and the driver of the truck is in critical condition.

Sadly, the driver of the trucks little sister was in the car!

What a terrible thing to happen to a community!!

[Wbulldogs]

that is very sad..their families friends and school will be in my prayers

[Eagles52]

that is as sad as it gets pretty much...I'll be praying too for the families, friends and the community

[trojandad]

Thank you for the notice, Mom. Remindful of a pastor friend that accidentally hit a car carrying his wife and three girls, killing them all (happened years ago). Bless them all, Father.

[Ranger Mom]

If the boy survives, I cannot imagine the guilt he will carry for the rest of his life, knowing that some adolescent stunt ended his sister's life.

I really feel for that young man!!

[GoForIt]

I really hate to hear that. Family members lived in Tatum years ago and the folks there were very close-knit and knew late former mayor and his wife (Adams) well. Prayers are with the community and school.

[Chris Hart]

Prayer goes out from Burnet, what a truly sad situation. May GOD bless the families and friends of all involved.

[SintonFan]

Horrible. We will pray for those near and dear tonight.

[redhot]

Our prayers go out to all of the families involved with this tragedy in Tatum. May God's Blessings be with them.

[espn1]

By JOHN LYNCH and JENNIFER WHATLEY
TATUM — A fiery car crash killed three Tatum high school students and a friend late Friday night, about half an hour after they all attended a football game together.

Investigators say the brother of one of the girls crashed into their car, and the collision occurred in front of the home of one of the other passengers killed in the wreck.

Killed at the scene were 14-year-old Mackinsey Blalock, 15-year-old Rachel Reid and 16-year-old Jaicey Robberson. The fourth passenger, Casey Moraw, 20, a 2002 Tatum High graduate, was thrown from the car and died later at Longview's Good Shepherd Medical Center.

The driver of the second car, 18-year-old David Reid, was taken to Good Shepherd and is listed in serious condition.

"We all hurt," said Debbie Maxey, principal of Tatum High School. Maxey opened the high school until the early morning hours Saturday for grieving students. The campus was re-opened most of the day Saturday for students and families to mourn together.

The 11 p.m. crash is still under investigation, but the Texas Department of Public Safety released a preliminary account of the collision.

The report states that David Reid, driving a 1997 GMC, was northbound on Texas 149 about two miles north of Tatum when he veered into oncoming traffic, striking the 1997 Chevrolet driven by Robberson. That car was turning south onto 149 from the Moraw home. The teens were trapped in the burning vehicle. The speed limit is 65 mph on that stretch of highway.

Rusk County Justice of the Peace Bonnie Miller has ordered autopsies. The judge was still awaiting more information Saturday from DPS investigators.

Miller said the girls were leaving Moraw’s home on the east side of the road when Reid collided with them. She said Reid might have been on his way home. The Reid house is just down the highway from the Moraw home.

The judge said she had conflicting reports that Moraw's mother might have witnessed the collision.

The four girls had attended the Friday night Tatum football game, which went into overtime and ended about 10:30 p.m. at Eagle Stadium.

"I know when bad things like this happen, people talk about how wonderful and sweet the people were," Maxey said. "I don't think it has ever been more true than in this case. They had strong academics, they were so involved in the school, and they just lit up a room."

Barbara Puckett, the teacher who sponsors the varsity cheerleading squad, recalled the girls' energy.

"Each one of them had a bounce in their step," Puckett said. "They were the kind of girls that you would be lucky to have as friends. That is so obvious now with the outpouring of support that is happening. The community has just embraced them."

Blalock, a freshman, enrolled at Tatum in January after attending Harleton schools where she was a cheerleader. Administrators say she immediately became involved in the school, joining the newspaper staff, art club and athletics while maintaining a high grade-point average. She also was a long-distance runner on the school's cross-country track team.

Rachel Reid, a sophomore, and Robberson, a junior, had been students in the Tatum Independent School District for nine years.

Reid excelled on the varsity cheerleading squad and in athletics, as well as newspaper, theater and Key Club, Puckett said. She also was a member of the volleyball team and the cross-country track team.

Robberson, also a varsity cheerleader and athlete, was a member of the agriculture and international clubs. She was an honor student and enjoyed art classes.

"I feel lucky that I was able to spend time with both Rachel and Jaicey yesterday," Puckett said. "I know that I only have positive memories of all four of the girls."

Moraw had been the Eagle team mascot during her high school years. She also had been an office aide, worked on the school newspaper and was involved in athletics.

"I could sit here and go on and on about all the wonderful things these girls did and how they have been so much a part of our school," Maxey said. "Now we are thinking about their families and trying to be here for them and all the students who have lost their friends. I hope that their families do see how loved these girls are."

Maxey said that after word of the crash traveled through the community, the doors of the high school campus remained opened until 4 a.m. to allow students and parents to wait for news. Saturday, the campus continued to be filled with friends who were crying and hugging, each struggling to deal with the reality of the lost students.

"These kids are still learning how to show grief," Puckett said. "It is important for them to see the parents and teachers and adults up here and know that it is OK to cry and be sad and angry. The grieving process is long and slow, and the only thing I know that makes it any easier is to lean on your family and friends and show each other how much your care."

Maxey said the girls had friendships that crossed age barriers and classrooms. Their sudden deaths affected the whole community.

"That is the amazing thing about a small town," Maxey said. "It didn't matter that they were in different grades because they were all friends. This just affects so many people in our community."

Tatum parents and community members brought food to the school cafeteria Saturday afternoon so people could continue to console each other. The scene of high school students, some wearing bright green school T-shirts, was punctuated with soft crying and small clusters of hugging.

"Our school counselors have been here since last night, as have many teachers and staff," Maxey said. "It was just an impromptu thing that brought everyone together here at the school. I have received calls from other school's counselors who said they would be here to help in any way they could. We will have between 10 and 12 counselors for the kids Monday morning, and the teachers have already planned to be at the school early."

Maxey said she has been in contact with each of the families, but plans for funeral services were still being made.

[Ranger Mom]

Thanks for tha article ESPN!

Hopefully that is a true account of the story and not the one I had heard at first.

[BrahmaMom]

What a tragedy. My prayers to family, friends, school and town. And special prayers for the driver, for comfort and strength for a long time. God bless them all.

[bd0707]

My wife and I had a good cry over this awful tragedy. People, hug your children, Praise God for the blessings that they truly are. Our prayers go out for the families, friends, and community.

[Rabbit'93]

My prayers for the families and the community. The lord will heal your hearts in time.

[CHS_CG]

I will be sure to keep them in my prayers. The sad thing is one of my friends just got in an accident that she is lucky to come out of alive and unharmed. She was driving home from work one night real late...well she fell asleep on the road and went into the ditch. She was in the ditch for a good 100 yds and woke up and overcorrected which caused her to slide sideways into a tree. She was knocked out for a lil while but lucky it was in front of another one of my friends' house and her parents had heard the crash. She came out of the whole thing with a lot of bumps and a mild concussion. Her truck, needless to say, was totaled. We are thankful we were nothing havin to go thru the same as they are in Tatum. My heart goes out!

[Mad Dawg 20/20]

My heart has hurt all week-end for the Families and friends of those young ladies, whos lives were cut short. I know what its like to lose a young person to a car wreck. I would not wish that pain on my worst enemy. May God bless those involved.

[Bandera YaYa]

Reading all this just makes me so, so sad. I am so very sorry for all families and friends..God Bless and may He hold them near.

[cunbed10]

My prayers go to the families and the town of Tatum, these are times that make a person realize that life is very special, and the games are not important.

[sphinx1906]

we are praying for you in Southeast Texas. God be with the families and everyone in and around Tatum.

[Showtime33]

My prayers go out to the families and the town. Can only imagine what they are going through.