Family And Friends Grieve After 4 Killed In Bus Crash
WYLIE, TX (CBSDFW.COM) - North Central Texas College brought in counselors to comfort grieving students Saturday after four women's softball players were killed when an 18-wheel truck veered into oncoming traffic on a major interstate highway and crashed into the side of their team bus.
The collision near Davis, Oklahoma, late Friday badly damaged the driver's side of the team bus driven by a coach with 15 players aboard as they returned from a scrimmage against Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma.
The four players killed were identified by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol as Meagan Richardson, 19, Brooke Deckard, 20, Katelynn Woodlee, 18, and Jaiden Pelton 20. The women all were from small North Texas towns near the campus.
One of those victims, Meagan Richardson spent a lot of time as a high school student at Wylie High School softball field.
That's where her family and friends went so they could feel close to her and pray.
Meagan Richardson loved softball and played on for 4 years while in high school.
Now her family grieves a great loss and friends comfort her heartbroken father.
"You did touch her and make her life, everyone of you. I thank you for that," said Ronnie Richardson, Meagan's father as he addressed the group of mourners.
Meagan graduated Wylie high school last year.
"She was actually getting engaged to her boyfriend Victor. They were going to get engaged pretty soon, and she was going to go to nursing school. She wanted to be a nurse and help people," said Meagan's best friend Brooke Elkins.
Another friend reminisces on Meagan's personality."[Meagan] was sweet. She was funny. She was always laughing. Her laugh was one of a kind, " remembered school friend Jill Carter.
"She was a great friend and we are going to miss her. "
Brooke Deckard was another victim in the bus crash.
Brooke grew up in Blue Ridge, TX not too far from Meagan's hometown of Wylie.
Sunday family and friends will gather to remember Brooke, who her Superintendent called a leader.
"This is a heartbreaking time for our school district and community as we are very close much like many small towns," said Todd Lintzen.
Virdie Montgomery is Meagan's former principal. Montgomery said he's concerned about Meagan's younger sister who is still a senior.
He said counselors ready to help grieving students Monday to help students coping.
(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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