Three Southern University marching band members, Dylan Young, Brody Moore and Tyran Williams, have died after being struck by an 18-wheeler while changing a tire.
According to WBRZ, the Human Jukebox members died in a crash involving the 18-wheeler on Dec. 6. They were reportedly outside of a broken-down vehicle when they were hit.
In a release shared on Dec. 5, the Louisiana State Police said the students’ 1999 Jeep Laredo’s had a flat tire, causing it to stop on the side of the roadway. At the time, they were traveling from school to their home state, Texas, for Christmas break, northbound on I-49.
The young men then parked their jeep on the side of the road north of the Natchitoches area, and attempted to change their cars’ flat tire. As they were doing so, a tractor-trailer, driven by Clyde Gay, 62, drifted onto the shoulder and struck them.
Sources said one of the students was on the phone when the wreck occurred, and the person on the other end of the call contacted the police.
Young (21), Moore (19) and Williams (19) were all pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said the accident has remained under investigation and noted that Gay left the accident unscathed. They added that officials would be performing laboratory testing to search for impairments.
SU president Dennis Shields released a statement expressing his condolences to the students’ relatives, family members, friends, classmates and other loved ones–including the school’s beloved marching band.
Southern University students, I know that the sudden loss of a classmate or friend can be devastating,” Shields said, addressing everyone in mourning. “I encourage you to reach out to someone you trust to talk about your feelings.”
Human Jukebox director Kedric Taylor told WBRZ that he’s “thankful for knowing” Young, Moore, and Williams.
“They were very humble,” Taylor said. “I talked to some of them yesterday and told them [to] have a safe trip…I’m just thankful for knowing them and having them in my life.”
