Five teens were killed June 25 after the car they were riding in plunged into a Florida retention pond, according to News-Press.
Eric Paul, 19, Jackson Eyre, 18, Amanda Ferguson, 18, Breanna Coleman, 18, and Jesus Salinas, 18 were pronounced dead after authorities in Fort Myers discovered the submerged car in a retention pond near Interstate 75 Monday morning, News-Press noted.
The accident occurred when the teens apparently lost control of the Kia sedan they were driving and wound up in the pond, according to Fort Myers Police Department spokeswoman Kristen Capuzzi. Capuzzi added the incident occurred sometime between 10:30 p.m. Sunday and early Monday, the outlet noted. (RELATED: Woman Found Dead In Car Submerged On Edge Of Niagara Falls)
“It took a long time to get it out,” Capuzzi said of the car.
Five teens died in an overnight car crash on Top Golf Way in Fort Myers. https://t.co/N7wVoQQ2Eq
— NBC2 (@NBC2) June 26, 2023
Four of the teens worked together at a Texas Roadhouse and had just gotten off of work when the accident occurred. Texas Roadhouse confirmed the death of its employees, adding the restaurant closed its doors to the public Monday in memory of the victims. Instead, family and friends of the deceased were treated to a dinner, according to News-Press.
Victim Jackson Eyre’s father, Willie Eyre, formerly played professional baseball as a relief pitcher and currently serves as South Fort Myers High School baseball team’s head coach, News-Press noted.
In the wake of the tragedy, the South Fort Myers baseball team expressed their condolences.
“Anytime someone passes, we lose a little bit of who we are. It hurts even more when it’s one of our own. We ask everyone in the community to pray for his family & friends, as we get through this impossibly difficult time together.”
Capuzzi said police are still investigating the accident, according to News-Press.