CHARLOTTE — The NTSB and North Carolina Highway Patrol are investigating a deadly crash that killed six people, including a Gaston County family of five and a teen driver, Saturday on I-485 in southwest Charlotte.
A 16-year-old girl survived, thanks in part to a passerby who stopped, prayed with her, and kept her calm until help arrived.
The crash occurred on the outer loop of I-485 in west Charlotte, between West Boulevard and Wilkinson Boulevard, involving commercial and passenger vehicles. Among the deceased were 16-year-old Logan Paul Sauer, who was driving a Honda CRV, and five family members from Gaston County in a Chrysler van who were going to Carowinds.
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The Honda hit the van, and both vehicles veered off the right side of the road, striking a parked tractor-trailer, troopers said.
The wreck claimed the lives of Taylor Willis, her partner, Samuel Jacob Holmes, who was driving, their children Brynlon Holmes, aged 1, and Addyson Holmes, aged 3, as well as another relative, 8-year-old Kamron Wood. 16-year-old Katelynn, who was in the van, survived the crash and was transported to Atrium Health Main for treatment.
Logan Paul Sauer, who was driving the Honda died, as well.
Katelynn suffered a broken pelvic bone, the family said.
‘Pray for her’
Motorist Laylani Collins helped the teen survivor.
“I just did it because it wasn’t a second thought in my mind to just help someone,” Collins said. “I think it was nobody but God because I missed my exit. I was supposed to get off the exit before the accident.”
Collins described the scene.
“I can see one car on the left-hand side up under the trailer, another car in the back up under the trailer,” Collins said.
She tended to Katelynn’s injuries. She was in the backseat.
Collins asked the teen if she could feel her toes.
“She was like, ‘I can feel my toes. I can feel my legs,’ and she started to move her legs, and I said, ‘Don’t move them.’ I was able to pray for her, and rub her hand, and kind of keep her calm, because she was freaking out.”
‘Excellent father’
Samuel Holmes’ sister spoke with Lowe about the tragedy.
“It’s rough on us,” said the sister, who didn’t want to be identified. “Those little girls were too young. They didn’t even get to see life yet.”
She added, “He was an excellent father. He did whatever he could for those little girls, and their mother, she was the best thing that ever happened to my brother.”
Samuel Holmes worked as a security guard for Amazon and loved working on cars as a hobby.
“He was funny, very adventurous,” she said.
If you would like to help the family of the victims in the van, click here.
VICTIM: Victims’ family reflect on I-485 crash that killed 6, injured 1
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