Engaged couple die hours apart in separate crashes - leaving behind young son
An engaged couple from Louisiana were tragically killed in separate road traffic collisions just hours apart, leaving behind a four-year-old son.
Alexus Lee, 25, and John 'JR' Collins, 35, had just recently purchased a home together and were due to get married next February.
But tragedy struck, and the couple were killed in separate crashes less than two hours apart in the early hours of Friday morning (May 16).
The first fatal collision occurred just after 2am in East Baton Rouge Parish, where Lee was driving north on LA 67 near Lemon Road.
According to a news release shared by the Louisiana State Police, Lee was driving a 2013 Toyota Highlander when the vehicle veered off the road, hit a culvert and overturned.
"Lee was unrestrained, sustained fatal injuries, and was pronounced deceased on the scene," a police spokesperson said in a statement. "Impairment is unknown; however, a routine toxicology sample was collected for analysis."
When investigators notified Lee's fiancé, Collins, he left to go to the crash site when troopers said he lost control of his car on Plank Road just outside the town of Clinton.
"The preliminary investigation revealed that Collins was traveling south on LA 67 at a high rate of speed in a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro," Louisiana State Police said. "As a result, the vehicle failed to negotiate a right-hand curve, exited the roadway to the left, and struck a tree.
"Collins was unrestrained and was ejected from the vehicle. He sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on the scene. Impairment is not suspected; however, a toxicology sample was obtained and will be submitted for analysis. Both crashes remain under investigation."
The couple leave behind a four-year-old son called Gabriel and two grieving families who can't understand how this tragedy befell them.
"I love them and I'm gonna miss both of them and I'm gonna find the strength to go ahead," Collins' father Arthur told WAFB.
"Losing Lexus just different. It was a different feeling, and it's like I know a part of me gone," said Lee's sister Dominque.
Collins' mother Sandra said that the couple's son Gabriel understands what happened to his parents as she vowed that the family would care for the youngster.
"He understands what happened, and he's just having a little problem comprehending that we can't talk to them," she told WAFB.
"We can't see them, but he understands that they are asleep and are with God."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kinahan cartel boss Liam Byrne's son parties with Conor McGregor and Katie Price
Kinahan cartel boss Liam Byrne's son has been pictured partying with Conor McGregor and Katie Price in Ibiza. A photo, posted on social media by Conor McGregor, shows Lee Byrne with close pal and Byrne Organised Crime Group associate Nathan 'Biggie' Little posing next to the troubled UFC fighter. Renowned model Katie Price is also seen in the snap, sitting on the lap of a beaming McGregor. Republic of Ireland and Eredivisie footballer Troy Parrot is also pictured. It comes as McGregor is awaiting his appeal at the start of next month after a jury found him liable for the assault of Nikita Hand in the Beacon Hotel in South Dublin. Lee Byrne, who has no involvement in crime, is the son of criminal Liam Byrne - who was most recently released from prison in the UK after serving a relatively short time behind bars for his role in sourcing firearms for brother-in-law and fellow mob boss Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh. Mobster Liam is lying low in the UK while being tagged by prison authorities - after being granted early release due to ongoing overcrowding concerns. His son Lee, however, is regularly seen partying across the globe with pal 'Biggie' Little - who Dublin's High Court heard was a member of the 'Byrne Organised Crime Group', led by Lee's father. In the High Court, the Criminal Assets Bureau identified the 24-year-old Dubliner as being a low-level member of the Byrne Organised Crime Group. Little, who is from the Drimnagh area of the city, is a close friend of Liam Byrne's son Lee, who is the boyfriend of Steven Gerrard's daughter, Lilly-Ella. Liam Byrne, 44, himself a powerful figure in the Kinahan cartel, was jailed for his role in trying to acquire firearms from anywhere he could find them after he was caught doing so in secret encrypted conversations that were hacked in 2021. The plot was designed so that investigators would find a cache of 11 powerful weapons hidden in a field in Newry, Co Down in May 2021 following a 'tip off' from Kavanagh, who met officers and told them about it from behind bars while awaiting sentence for importing drugs. Liam Byrne's brother David was infamously shot dead in the Regency Hotel shooting on February 5, 2016. Byrne's death significantly escalated the Kinahan Hutch feud - and saw the cartel go on to murder 16 more men. Byrne's boss Daniel Kinahan was the primary target of the Hutch gang that day - and is still living it up in Dubai despite his cartel crumbling all around him. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week Liam Byrne was jailed - alongside the once-powerful mobster 'Bomber' - who led the Kinahan cartel's day-to-day operations in the UK. Kavanagh is serving a 21-year prison sentence for conspiracy to import some €36 million worth of drugs into the UK. In 2019, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) seized much of Liam Byrne's assets following a high-profile case. The CAB, in its High Court proceedings against the Byrne Organised Crime Group (BOCG), named Liam as its leader, and also named several individuals as the beneficiaries of the group. The High Court ruled that assets worth €2.7 million - cars, jewellery, cash and the Raleigh Square home seized by the CAB - were the proceeds of crime. As part of their investigations, CAB investigators claimed Byrne was at the 'very top tier' of organised crime in Ireland. In submissions to the High Court, the CAB outlined his links to Christy 'Dapper Don' Kinahan's cartel. It claimed: 'The target of this investigation is the Liam Byrne Organised Crime Group. This group is aligned to the Kinahan Organised Crime Group (KOCG) and is involved in the importation for sale and supply of controlled drugs into this jurisdiction. 'The investigation has uncovered a system of money laundering used by this group to hide the beneficial ownership of the various assets in their possession. The main target of this investigation, Liam Byrne, is a close and trusted associate and lieutenant of Daniel Kinahan. "The KOCG is an international gang involved in the importation and controlled distribution of drugs into this jurisdiction, the UK and mainland Europe. It has bases in Spain, the UK, Netherlands and Dubai. 'Liam Byrne and Sean McGovern are at the very top tier of this group and are regularly spotted in the company of Daniel and [his brother] Christopher Kinahan.'
Sunday World
16 hours ago
- Sunday World
Driver who did doughnuts in front of gardai before chase to border gets suspended sentence
Ben Murray appeared before Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal charged with dangerous driving. A young driver caught doing doughnuts before 'fishtailing' in front of Gardai and trying to outrun them by heading for the border to escape has been given a suspended jail sentence. Ben Murray appeared before Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal charged with dangerous driving. The court heard that Murray, now 25, was attending his first Donegal International Rally in June, 2024. Gardai had called to Drumbarnett, Manorcunningham after complaints from the public that the road had been blocked and a number of cars were doing doughnuts just before midnight. When Gardai arrived, they observed a Lexus is200 performing doughnuts and activated their blue lights. The driver of the car then fishtailed in front of the patrol car forcing Gardai to reverse their patrol vehicle to avoid being hit. The Lexus sped off but was apprehended in the early hours of the following morning heading for the border. Letterkenny District Court News in 90 Seconds - June 20th The driver, Ben Murray, aged 25, was arrested and was apologetic to Gardai. His solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said Murray was attending his first rally and was "showing off for friends." He had made admissions and the car was lifted and his father and uncle had to come and collect the student, added the solicitor. Judge Ciaran Liddy asked the court if Murray, of Carlton Drive, Strabane, Co Tyrone, had any previous convictions. Sergeant Jim Collins said he had one previous conviction for drug driving and had been disqualified for one year. Judge Liddy noted that Murray was only back on the road for five months when this incident occurred. "This man is looking at a jail sentence," said the Judge. Mr Gallagher said he was asking the court to take a more diplomatic approach adding it was "one stupid mistake." His client has now adopted a serious attitude to the incident and 'he should have acted more appropriately', he added. Mr Gallagher said that there was an impression given that Murray was 'aiming for the border', but told the court that it was not an evasive situation. 'There was no chase or otherwise,' he said, adding that the is200 has been moved on. He said Murray is doing a traineeship for cranes and has his preliminary tests done and planned to go to Scandinavia to finish that process. Mr Gallagher asked the court to consider reducing the charge to one of careless driving and to consider Murray's early plea. 'The shock of being here has had a very awakening effect on him,' Mr Gallagher said. Judge Ciaran Liddy said that the road was blocked deliberately to 'facilitate boy racer activity involving this man performing a fishtail manoeuvre on the public highway'. Judge Liddy noted that a Garda patrol car had to take evasive action to avoid being struck and that Murray proceeded to drive towards Derry. He said Murray was only just back on the road having concluded a driving ban for drink-driving only six months previously. Judge Liddy said: 'It is clear that he learned very little from his experience in court on the previous occasion.' Judge Liddy said that only for Murray having been 'well advised' to plead guilty he would be imposing an immediate custodial sentence. Murray was handed a six-month prison sentence that was suspended for two years. Murray was also disqualified from driving for two years and fined €300.
Irish Daily Mirror
21 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Driver doing doughnuts & 'fishtailing' before Gardaí at rally event avoids jail
A young driver caught doing doughnuts before 'fishtailing' in front of Gardaí and trying to outrun them by heading for the border to escape has been given a suspended jail sentence. Ben Murray appeared before Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal charged with dangerous driving. The court heard that Murray, now 25, was attending his first Donegal International Rally in June, 2024. Gardaí had called to Drumbarnett, Manorcunningham after complaints from the public that the road had been blocked and a number of cars were doing doughnuts just before midnight. When Gardaí arrived, they observed a Lexus is200 performing doughnuts and activated their blue lights. The driver of the car then fishtailed (defined as a vehicle making an uncontrolled sideways movement) in front of the patrol car, forcing Gardaí to reverse their patrol vehicle to avoid being hit. The Lexus sped off but was apprehended in the early hours of the following morning heading for the border. The driver, Ben Murray, aged 25, was arrested and was apologetic to Gardaí. His solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said Murray was attending his first rally and was "showing off for friends". He had made admissions and the car was lifted and his father and uncle had to come and collect the student, added the solicitor. Judge Ciaran Liddy asked the court if Murray, of Carlton Drive, Strabane, Co Tyrone, had any previous convictions. Sergeant Jim Collins said he had one previous conviction for drug driving and had been disqualified for one year. Judge Liddy noted that Murray was only back on the road for five months when this incident occurred. "This man is looking at a jail sentence," said the Judge. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week Mr Gallagher said he was asking the court to take a more diplomatic approach, adding that it was "one stupid mistake". His client has now adopted a serious attitude to the incident and 'he should have acted more appropriately', he added. Mr Gallagher said that there was an impression given that Murray was 'aiming for the border', but told the court that it was not an evasive situation. 'There was no chase or otherwise,' he said, adding that the is200 has been moved on. He said Murray is doing a traineeship for cranes and has his preliminary tests done and planned to go to Scandinavia to finish that process. Mr Gallagher asked the court to consider reducing the charge to one of careless driving and to consider Murray's early plea. 'The shock of being here has had a very awakening effect on him,' Mr Gallagher said. Judge Ciaran Liddy said that the road was blocked deliberately to 'facilitate boy racer activity involving this man performing a fishtail manoeuvre on the public highway'. Judge Liddy noted that a Garda patrol car had to take evasive action to avoid being struck and that Murray proceeded to drive towards Derry. He said Murray was only just back on the road having concluded a driving ban for drink-driving only six months previously. Judge Liddy said: 'It is clear that he learned very little from his experience in court on the previous occasion.' Judge Liddy said that only for Murray having been 'well advised' to plead guilty, he would be imposing an immediate custodial sentence. Murray was handed a six-month prison sentence that was suspended for two years. Murray was also disqualified from driving for two years and fined €300.
