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A2 UP FRONT
Monday 7 January 2019

Louisiana town reels from loss of 5 children in fiery crash

By REBECCA SANTANA, As- girls and the pastor was not
sociated Press immediately available.
MARKSVILLE, La. (AP) — It Williams described her
was supposed to be a fun, nephew as an “easygoing”
post-Christmas trip to Dis- boy; Warren and Cloud
ney World for 14-year-old were best friends, she said,
Jeremiah Warren and his who lived across the street
friends from a church in from each other; two of the
this small Louisiana town girls who were killed lived
— “clean fun” as Warren’s on either side of her neph-
aunt described it. But then ew, she said.
word came of a fiery crash Only about 5,500 people
on a Florida highway that live in Marksville — the seat
killed seven people, includ- of Avoyelles Parish — about
ing five children from this 165 miles (265 kilometers)
area traveling in a church north of New Orleans. The
van. town’s small size brought a
“We knew it had to be level of personal connec-
them,” said Warren’s aunt, tion to the tragedy — many
Jacqueline Williams, sitting people knew the victims’
in the living room of her families personally or know
Marksville home. She’d just friends and family who
returned from church Sun- knew them.
day morning where she’d As news of the tragedy
done the only thing she spread, people gathered
could: prayed. for vigils, or prayer services
“When they left you were Flames engulf vehicles after a fiery crash along Interstate 75, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, about a mile to remember the children
looking for them to go have south of Alachua, near Gainesville, Fla. and pray for their families
fun and enjoy themselves. Associated Press and the survivors. Dozens of
No one expected anything dent. Officials said at least A fifth car, unable to avoid said church pastor Eric Des- people gathered Saturday
like this to happen,” she eight others were injured, the chaos, sped through cant’s 50-year-old wife, for a rosary at a Roman
said. The small town has some seriously. and hit people who were Karen, was injured and his Catholic church. On Sun-
been reeling since news Two vehicles traveling north thrown from the van, the granddaughter killed. Cox day morning, black ribbons
spread that a church van — a tractor-trailer and a car highway patrol said. said a total of nine children hung on the doors of the
from the Avoyelles House — smashed into each other In a statement posted and three adults were in Avoyelles House of Mercy
of Mercy traveling outside and then burst through a on the United Pentecos- the church van. where parishioners gath-
of Gainesville, Florida, was metal guardrail, slamming tal Church International’s Authorities identified the ered. On Monday, a can-
caught in a fiery crash in- into another semitrailer and Facebook page, Louisi- dead children as Joel dlelight memorial service
volving two 18-wheelers the southbound van car- ana district superintendent Cloud and Warren, both is being held at the town’s
Thursday. In addition to the rying the children. Diesel Kevin Cox said a pregnant 14; Cara Descant, 13; Brie- high school football field
five children in the church fuel leaked, and the mass woman injured in the crash na Descant, 10; and Cierra where religious figures from
van, the two truck drivers erupted into a fireball, the and her unborn child had Bordelan, 9. The relation- across the small community
were also killed in the acci- Florida Highway Patrol said. been stabilized. Cox also ship between the Descant are expected to speak.q

Suspects sought in California bowling alley triple homicide

By Associated Press flowers was also set up at old son, Astin Edwards,
TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) — the site. Officers respond- was one of those killed. His
Police searched for sus- ing to panicked 911 calls nephew told him his son
pects Sunday in a shoot- found seven people with was attempting to break
ing that killed three men gunshot wounds. Three up a fight when a gunman
and injured four during a men were pronounced “just started unloading.”
brawl at a popular Los An- dead at the scene and “I’m thinking this is a dream
geles-area bowling alley two were taken to a hos- and I’ll wake up,” Edwards
and karaoke bar. pital, Harris said. Two other told the Orange County
Cell phone video aired men were struck by gun- Register. “He was a good
by KNBC-TV showed fire but “opted to seek kid. I don’t understand it.”
groups of people throwing their own medical atten- A grieving mother told
punches as a crowd gath- tion.” KABC-7 her 28-year-old
ered late Friday at Gable Authorities have not identi- son, Robert Meekins, died
House Bowl in the coastal Investigators look for evidence around a shopping center ad- fied the victims or suspects while trying to break up
city of Torrance. Gunshots jacent to the Gable House Bowl following a shooting in Tor- or released details about the fight. She said Meekins
suddenly rang out and on- rance, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. what led to the shooting. and Astin Edwards were
lookers screamed and ran Associated Press. Witnesses said it stemmed close. “They were friends,
for their lives. one suspect. bers of the victims held a from a fight between two so I know he probably
There were no arrests. Po- “We just don’t know at candlelight vigil Saturday large groups. jumped in and helped As-
lice Sgt. Ronald Harris said this point,” he said. “That’s night in the parking lot of Dwayne Edwards, 60, of tin and whoever he was
Sunday that investigators one of the many questions the bowling alley in south- Los Angeles, said he re- with ... but I don’t think my
are trying to determine if detectives are looking at.” ern Los Angeles County. A ceived a call from his son deserves to die,” Ang-
there may be more than Friends and family mem- memorial with photos and nephew that his 28-year- lean Hubbard said. q