Community continues to mourn deaths of former Cameron high school athletes
Fiery crash kills 3 young men, leaves hole in rural Central Texas community
It's been a little more than two weeks since three young men were killed in a fiery crash following a police chase on Hwy 190 between Cameron and Milano. FOX 7's Shannon Ryan looks at how their deaths have impacted the city of Cameron in tonight's CrimeWatch.
AUSTIN, Texas - It's been about two weeks since three young men were killed in a fiery crash following a police chase on Highway 190 between Cameron and Milano.
19-year-old Phabian Bynaum, 20-year-old Davarius Bynaum, and 21-year-old Malik Thomas died in the crash in late January. The three killed were former athletes at Yoe High School in Cameron. Those that knew them say they were accomplished and beloved members of the community.
People who knew the three say they loved fast cars and that was something that may have ultimately contributed to their deaths. Tragic deaths that have changed the face of the community.
"You can definitely tell things aren't the same, which just seems like everyone's moping around," says Destiny Weathersby.
Weathersby knew all three victims. She had been dating Thomas for five years.
"Cameron's Cameron but it's not the same. Especially when you lose people like them," Weathersby adds.
Weathersby says that Thomas and she had recently broken up and said it was "the worst because it was a lot of things that I wish I could have said to him before everything happened. And I started to, like, blame myself and everything. Because, you know, the last time I spoke with him, he told me he loved me. And I, like, didn't get to tell him that back."
Milam County Sheriff Mike Clore says Phabian was driving more than 20 miles over the speed limit on US 190 between Cameron and Milano and lost control of his car while trying to outrun the deputy attempting to stop him.
"I want people to know that they were role models. They wanted people to look up to them," Weathersby says.
The loss continues to be felt by Weathersby and has left a hole in the community.
"Each boy belonged to all of us. These are our kids. Our babies," said one speaker at a vigil that was held for the Phabian, Davarius, and Thomas.
"I feel like I'm finally coming to a realization that (Thomas is) gone. There's nothing I can do about it. But I still think about him every day, and it's hard. This is just, it's hard," Weathersby says.
The crash remains under investigation.