Five Teens Found Dead After Car Submerged in Fort Myers, Florida; Four Had Just Finished Their Work Shifts
Five Teens Tragically Killed in Crash After Finishing Shift at Texas Roadhouse in Florida
Five Teens Tragically Killed in Car Crash After Shift at Texas Roadhouse in Fort Myers
Fort Myers police confirmed Monday morning that five teens were found dead after their car was submerged in a retention pond near Topgolf. The victims were identified as four employees from the Fort Myers Texas Roadhouse location, who had just finished their shifts. A note on the restaurant door indicated the establishment was closed Monday in honor of the victims, with plans for a memorial in the coming days.
The fifth person in the car has yet to be publicly identified.
According to Kristen Capuzzi, a spokeswoman for the police department, the crash occurred sometime between 10:30 p.m. Sunday and early Monday. A small black Kia sedan, carrying the five teens—aged 18 or 19—lost control near Topgolf and Interstate 75, ending up submerged in the retention pond.
“The car was difficult to recover,” Capuzzi stated, with the five victims being declared dead at the scene.
The teens were identified through a Snapchat post from Texas Roadhouse, which named the victims as Amanda Ferguson, Eric Paul, Breanna Coleman, and Jackson Eyre. The fifth victim’s identity has not been disclosed.
Jackson Eyre had recently graduated from South Fort Myers High School and was set to attend Fort Myers Technical College in the fall. His mother, Rachel Eyre, the Assistant Principal at Bonita Springs High School, had shared a photo Sunday on Twitter, thanking Texas Roadhouse for the thoughtful graduation gifts they had given Jackson, including a portrait and a personalized to-go mug.
This tragic event has left the community in shock and mourning.