"In one night the lives of several families have changed forever due to preventable circumstances," a statement from the police said.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on December 22, 2021. It has since been updated.
Three siblings—Lindy, Christopher, and Kamryn—were on their way back home after a basketball game, along with their mom Dawn Simmons, and Christopher’s girlfriend Marissa, on December 17, 2021, when their vehicle was hit head-on by a pickup truck driven on Interstate 49 in Lousiana by 54-year-old John Lundy, according to authorities, reports TODAY.
Lindy Simmons, 20, was at the wheel of a 2017 Cadillac XT5 SUV when Lundy, of Dallas, was driving his 2005 Chevrolet Colorado pickup northbound in the wrong lane. Lindy—who was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident—was pronounced dead at the scene, along with Lundy. The other two siblings Simmons, 17, and Kamryn Simmons, 15, along with their mom and Marissa were rushed to the hospital to be treated for their injuries. But unfortunately, Christopher and Kamryn were declared dead at the hospital, per PEOPLE.
'Our Lives Are Shattered': 3 La. Siblings Among 4 Killed in Wrong-Way Crash https://t.co/jYBJtmYpbu
— People (@people) December 21, 2021
Police were awaiting results for what they described as "standard toxicology tests" on both drivers, though a fundraising post by one of the family members claims that the driver who crashed into the car was inebriated.
Katie DeRouen—the second of nine siblings—wrote what happened, on a GoFundMe post seeking financial help for the grieving family. "My dad called me as I was at a Christmas party and told me, 'Mom got in a wreck. It's not looking good, but she's stable,'" she said. "I flew to the hospital, crying along the way, thinking my mom was hurt but absolutely not thinking anything worse."
When she arrived her father and another brother had learned that there were two fatalities but didn't know who. "I was in complete denial and knew both fatalities had to be in the other car," she wrote. "There is no way that God would take one of my little babies from us."
So sad, our prayers and thoughts are with these beautiful children's family xoxo Rest In Paridise sweet angels 💔
— Miss. Devon (@MissDevon15) December 21, 2021
"As we learned the other car involved only had one occupant, my mind still convinced me that someone is getting their information twisted and it could not be true," she shared, adding that she later learned her mother suffered a lacerated carotid artery, and Christopher's girlfriend had a broken femur and abdominal bruising. "But they were stable and that gave us some relief to be able to deal with locating my siblings."
At first, they were told that the "blonde" one driving the car did not make it and that the driver of the other one died, too. But they soon learned that there were four casualties from the accident.
"And just like that, we went from one sibling didn't make it, to all three of them not making it," DeRouen wrote. "The three babies of the family are gone. My dad lost his three youngest children and is with my mom in ICU. My mom is in ICU without a clue as to what happened. The absolute hardest part of this entire experience, next to losing my siblings, is knowing that my mom will be informed of this whenever she awakens," she said.
Reading this, fighting back tears. And to know that the mother doesn’t know yet, and she’s going to wake up to her worst nightmare.
— Tiffani Williams (@Brickhousetiffi) December 22, 2021
"It is absolutely gut-wrenching for me to share this and I am passionately sharing in hopes of raising awareness of how devastating getting behind the wheel intoxicated can be," she said. "Our lives are shattered. My parents lived for us. Everything they did in life was for the benefit of their children. We went from our 'big family of 9 kids to 6 kids in the blink of an eye. I don't know how we will ever move on or recover from this."
Meanwhile, a statement from the Louisiana Police reads: "In one night the lives of several families have changed forever due to preventable circumstances. Over and over again, troopers see the tragic consequences of preventable motor vehicle crashes. The Louisiana State Police urges motorists to have a plan in place that includes always wearing your seat belt, never driving distracted or tired, and having a designated driver or an alternate ride home when consuming alcohol. Please choose to not drive impaired or ride with an impaired driver."
References:
https://people.com/crime/3-louisiana-siblings-among-4-killed-in-wrong-way-crash/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-my-grieving-family-after-absolute-tragedy
Cover Image Source: GoFundMe | Help my grieving family after absolute tragedy
