Taylor Swift fans are showing support a fellow fan, Jacob Lewis, who was killed by an alleged drunk driver leaving Swift’s concert in Houston over the weekend. A graduate of Taylor High School in Katy, Jacob was set to start his sophomore year in the musical theatre program at Sam Houston State University.
The accident happened on the Southwest Freeway on April 22, when Jacob’s vehicle became stalled on the freeway as he was making his way home from Swift’s concert at NRG Stadium. Lewis was trying to push the car from behind with his sister was at the wheel, when a car struck the 20-year-old. Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene, while his sister, April Bancroft, 26, was injured and received treatment at a local hospital. Jacob’s father, Steve Lewis, told news outlets: “His last act was to push his sister to safety on a dark street. He was a bright light… touched so many people. We’re all struggling with this loss.”
The drunk driver, Alan Bryant Hayes, reportedly fled the scene but was followed by another driver to a nearby street and was eventually taken into custody, treated for minor injuries and booked. As of Tuesday, he remains behind bars on $120,000 bond, charged with third-offense felony driving while intoxicated and failure to stop and render aid.
After news of Lewis’ death went public, ‘Swifties’ helped support his family by creating a GoFundMe to help raise funds in his honor. Hundreds of $13 donations were made, bringing the Lewis’ family’s fundraiser well over their goal of $75,000, with the GoFundMe raising over $112,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.
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