Connellsville community comes together to remember life of teen killed by alleged drunk driver
CONNELLSVILLE, Pa. (KDKA) - Saturday night, a community honored a teenager struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver last weekend in Fayette County.
Bobby Veitch and Danielle Mullen tried to suppress tears as they remembered their daughter, Bailey Lentz-Veitch.
"I said, 'I love ya; I'll see you when you get home.' She never came home," Veitch said.
"She should be here with us. It's hard, it's just hard," Mullen said.
Nearly one week ago, the 16-year-old was walking home from Dairy Queen on Crawford when police said a truck crossed the center lines and hit her, in front of Geibel Catholic High School, before taking off.
Days later, the pain is still there, but Lentz-Veitch's parents are quickly learning that the community has their backs.
Over 100 people came out for a vigil, lighting candles and releasing balloons.
"You guys are the reason I'm still standing," Veitch said to the crowd. "16 years, and she's touched all of your lives."
Lentz-Veitch was in 10th grade at Connellsville High School. Someday, she wanted to be a pet groomer and even go to business school.
"She was the best. She was just the most amazing kid in the entire world," Veitch said.
"She always went out of her way to make sure somebody felt included, felt special, or felt seen," Mullen said.
Now family and friends will remember her through memories.
"There's a hole in us that we will never fill again," a family friend said.
Eventually, they would like to see some kind of justice.
Police said Marc Lucic of Ontario, Canada was behind the wheel and drunk. He's in custody on charges including homicide by a vehicle while under the influence.
"Please, before you ever think of making that choice again, don't do it because this is what happens," a family friend said.
Sending a warning to others, with hopes to prevent this from happening again.
"Something's got to change, so another family doesn't have to go through this, another community doesn't have to go through the pain of losing somebody," Mullen said.
Lucic remains in Fayette County Jail. He's expected to be in court on the 15th for his preliminary hearing.
