Current:Home > NewsTaylor Swift Fan Killed By Suspected Drunk Driver After Leaving Eras Tour Concert in Houston -CapitalEdge
Taylor Swift Fan Killed By Suspected Drunk Driver After Leaving Eras Tour Concert in Houston
View
Date:2025-04-13 11:25:16
Taylor Swift's fans are saying "Long Live" to a fellow Swiftie.
Jacob Lewis, 20, died on April 22 after being hit by a suspected drunk driver while leaving a Taylor Swift concert, according to local outlet KPRC. He was reportedly driving back from the Eras Tour show in Houston, Texas with sister April Bancroft when they ran into car issues.
The 20-year-old was driving a Buick LaCrosse on South U.S. Highway 59 around 1:15 a.m. when the "vehicle became disabled," according to an April 24 press release from Houston police that didn't name the victim. Authorities said he stepped out to push their car when he was hit by Alan Bryant Hayes, 34, driving a Volkswagen Beetle. Lewis died at the scene.
Lewis' dad Steve Lewis told KPRC that Hayes "stopped and got out and helped my daughter pull my son, pull Jacob from under his driver-side tire." He said the alleged suspect then fled, adding, "Only after that did he get back in his car and drive off and leave."
Hayes was eventually taken into custody and charged with a DWI, as well as failure to stop and render aid, police said. E! News has reached out to Harris County police for lawyer information for Hayes but has not heard back.
In the wake of his death, Swift's fans have been coming together to pay their respects with $13 donations—the singer's lucky number—to Lewis' GoFundMe page, as well as share lyrics from her emotional songs "Long Live" and "Bigger Than the Whole Sky." The donations have surpassed $120,000 as of April 25.
Lewis' sister told KPRC how she was coping with the unimaginable loss of her brother. "It was the night I had been looking forward to for a very long time and turned for the absolute worst," Bancroft said. "What I hope will be the worst thing I have to live through."
She also reflected on the tragedy on Twitter, resharing a video of the siblings at the April 21 concert. "I cannot even describe the pain I feel at this moment for the loss of my brother," she tweeted. "We loved you so much @taylorswift13. Thank you for making this our last memory together."
In light of the support she's received from fans, Bancroft added, "I cannot express the overwhelming happiness and gratitude from every #Swiftie out there. Thank you thank you thank you. I will get to your messages eventually if I haven't already, your words have inspired me through my day so much."
Lewis was taking a gap year from Sam Houston State University when he died, according to KPRC. He was passionate about Pokémon, Dungeons & Dragons and the Black Lives Matter movement, per his Twitter page.
"He was a really talented actor and singer," Lewis' dad told CBS' KHOU11 News. "[He] loved being on stage and performing. He was a good friend to a lot of people around him and just a really good kid."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (2)
Related
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- June Extremes Suggest Parts of the Climate System Are Reaching Tipping Points
- YouTuber Annabelle Ham Dead at 22
- NASA's mission to purposely collide with asteroid sent 'swarm of boulders' into space
- Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
- Kylie Jenner Sets Record Straight on Plastic Surgery Misconceptions
- Influencer Christine Tran Ferguson's Friends React to Heartbreaking Death of Her Baby Boy Asher
- Toast the End of Harry Styles' Tour With Facts That Taste Like Strawberries on a Summer Evenin'
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Q&A: The Truth About Those Plastic Recycling Labels
Ranking
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- Methane Activists in Richmond Detect Potentially Dangerous Gas Leaks
- 24-Hour Deal: Skechers Washable Sneakers and Free Shipping
- Timothée Chalamet and Adam Sandler Prove They’re BFFs While Playing Basketball in NYC
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Get a $20 Deal on $98 Worth of Skincare From Peter Thomas Roth, Sunday Riley, Benefit, Elemis, and More
- Millie Bobby Brown Shares Glimpse Inside Six Flags Trip With Fiancé Jake Bongiovi
- Victoria Beckham Trolls David Beckham for Slipping at Lionel Messi's Miami Presentation
Recommendation
Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
‘Profit Over the Public’s Health’: Study Details Efforts by Makers of Forever Chemicals to Hide Their Harms
This Under Eye Mask Is Like an Energy Drink for Your Skin and It’s 45% Off Right Now
Are Legally Acceptable Levels of Pollution Harming Children’s Brain Development?
The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
The Unsolved Murder of Tupac Shakur: Untangling the Many Conspiracy Theories About the Rapper's Death
Tony Bennett and Susan Crow's Love Story Will Fly You to the Moon
Don't Miss Black Friday-Level Roku Deals on Smart TVs and Streaming Sticks