LAKE CITY, Fla. — Multiple families are in mourning after a Lake City hit-and-run crash last weekend claimed three lives, including two teenagers.
A vigil was held Friday night for the three victims: 16-year-old Mya Raulerson, 15-year-old Mae Waters, and Mae’s aunt, 44-year-old Bonnie Jean Welker.
“We were crying, we were laughing, we were sharing stories,” said Jessica Puls, Mya’s mother. “I don’t think I stopped hugging for the like two, two-and-a-half, three hours I was there.
“Nobody’s a stranger — we’re all family now,” she said.
Puls said Mya’s mission was helping others.
“She loved animals. She loved people. She liked to help,” Puls said. “Everybody called her little mama.”
Puls said last Saturday was the first time she had ever allowed Mya in a car with someone else driving aside from herself and her fiancé.
“This was the first time I made an exception to that rule,” Puls said. “We keep reliving it, and tomorrow we lay her to rest for good.”
Lake City Police Department officials said just before 9 p.m. last Saturday, a Ford F-150 was traveling at a high rate of speed down US Route 90 when it crashed into the passenger side of a Chrysler turning onto Northwest Centurion Court.
The Chrysler was carrying three teenagers in the back seat and two adults up front. Mya would be one of three who died on impact.
Lake City police identified the driver of the Ford as 31-year-old Jaron Carr. He’s being charged with leaving the scene of a deadly crash and driving without a valid license. He also had outstanding warrants out of Missouri and Brevard County.
But Puls said he wasn’t just speeding down US 90 — he was racing.
“There’s secure places to do these [things] where there’s less likely of an incident like this to occur on a fast, crazy highway right next to the interstate,” Puls said. “Stop doing foolish things at foolish times of the day in foolish places.”
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But despite her loss, Puls said she’s choosing to move forward the way Mya would’ve wanted her to.
“I’m happy that he’s behind bars, so he can’t hurt anybody else, but at the same time, I just pray for him because I wish that it never would have had to come to this,” Puls said. “I don’t want to be ugly, and I wouldn’t… my daughter wouldn’t want that.”
To donate to Mya’s GoFundMe, please click here.
To donate to Mae and Bonnie’s GoFundMe, please click here.
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