Two Arlington Lamar High School students and one of their mothers were killed in a crash in East Texas early Tuesday morning, authorities say.
Faith Whittaker and Jessica Brown, both 16, were riding in a Jeep Renegade driven by 36-year-old Chelsey Brewer when the car drifted off the roadway and crashed into a parked tractor-trailer in Lindale about 4:20 a.m. Monday, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, which was legally parked, was sleeping in the cab at the time and was not injured, DPS said.
Brewer was Whittaker’s mother and the two girls were cousins. The three were returning from a weekend trip to visit other family members in Mississippi, friends said.
In a tweet, Lamar High School said students Faith Whittaker and Jessica Brown "will be missed tremendously."
Whittaker was involved in sports medicine and Brown, culinary arts.
Both girls were trainers for the school's basketball team.
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Lamar head basketball coach Jarrett Howell said the entire school is deeply saddened.
"A lot of people are in shock about it or taking it really really difficult," he said. "I saw a basketball player, I saw him in the hall this morning. He was in tears. He just said, 'Coach, I need a hug.'"
The school is providing counseling for anyone who wants to speak about the crash.
"I'll just remember them as having selfless loving hearts and being friendly and being a blessing to those around them," said Lamar athletic trainer Bryant Grice. "They were just great kids."
