GALVESTON, Texas — Ball High School students are mourning the loss of another classmate involved in a crash allegedly caused by a suspected drunk driver who had three prior DWI convictions.
Sam Mixon, 14, died Friday morning, Galveston ISD Superintendent Jerry Gibson told the Galveston Daily News.
“Our students are crushed. This all feels like a bad dream. At this time, we all need to hold on to each other and love our students," Gibson said.
A family friend told KHOU 11 that students learned of the teen's death while in class on Friday. Several students had to leave school early.
We're told Sam loved playing baseball and that his friends knew him as the life of the party.
The crash on Sept. 2 also claimed the life of 14-year-old Mason Nelson, also a freshman at Ball High School. A third student was critically injured. A parent had just picked them up from baseball practice, according to a family friend.
Keith Brazier, 28, was charged with murder in Nelson's death and could now face a second murder charge. Brazier had just gotten out of prison a few hours before the crash after serving time for his third drunk driving offense, according to Texas Department of Criminal Justice records.
What happened
The victims were inside a Jeep when it was struck by a speeding SUV, according to authorities. It happened right across the street from Ball High School, which is at the intersection of 41st Street and Avenue O.
Denise Garrett lives nearby and said the tragedy left her traumatized.
"I heard the bang. There was no skid marks. Just a big ol' bang," Garrett told us after the crash. "It's devastating. It's terrible"
Surveillance video from one of her neighbors showed the white SUV that Brazier was driving speeding down Avenue O. Seconds later, the vehicle crashed into the silver Jeep carrying the teens.
"His parents ... my God, I can just only imagine. Can only fathom what they are going through," Garrett said.
Authorities said a passenger in Brazier's SUV was hurt.
Brazier's bond was set at $500,000.
More on Mason Nelson
Pastor Aaron Sanders, with Coastal Community Church, said he first met Mason Nelson eight years ago when he was coaching Little League sports.
Sanders said he rushed to the crash scene when he heard the news. He was there with Nelson's father, a single dad who was the victim's best friend, according to Pastor.
“There’s a sense of helplessness there ... where you know your child is there but there’s nothing you can do to help him ... there’s nothing to do. So you just kind of are in shock. So, we do our best just to comfort and be there for the family," Sanders said. "His whole world has been turned upside down in literally a second."
The pastor said Nelson was dedicated to his faith and attended the church with his dad.