“My wife and I were supposed to be planning a graduation party and now we are planning a funeral,” Jason Weil said.
For over a decade the Lakeland High School (LHS) Hawks have participated in the Mock Car Crash.
Taking drugs even just one time can be deadly, and no one expects it to be them.
Six seniors are chosen to act in a car crash shown to their fellow classmates that is caused by drugs and alcohol in 2025, the cause of the crash was Haydon Benson getting a pill for an ankle injury that turned out to be fentanyl.
Benson was the driver and his passenger Lovie Weil was thrown through the windshield in the crash and died on scene.
“It makes me think about it in a different way,” Lovie Weil said. “I appreciate it a lot that I was chosen to do this. My thoughts on drugs are to never do them or even indulge in them whatsoever”
Carter Vanek was in the backseat not knowing if his friends were going to make it. He sustained minor injuries.
Katie Cameron was hit by the car and had to be life flighted. Jersi McMurray died on scene.
“It was definitely emotional and just thinking it can happen so fast too,” McMurray said. “It definitely told me a lot like even if you don’t do it there are people out there who do it.”
Landree Simon and Libby Hatcher were hit and sustained minor injuries and could be heard screaming out to their friends who had died.
Benson was arrested for driving under the influence, and Issac Moore was searched and a dog confirmed he was carrying drugs. Moore was arrested under suspicion of supplying Benson with the drugs.
After the Mock Car Crash the seniors are brought into an assembly. This year the students were talked to by three recovering addicts.
“It was really sad. It was definitely hard to watch,” Savannah Francis said. “Especially hearing all their stories and hearing how it impacts you and your future. It’s crazy.”
They have all experienced loss and addiction.
Greg Herbert has been sober for 14 months, but while he was relapsing he got into a crash into the super one parking lot and was woken up by being ripped out of his car.
“I was a star baseball player at my highschool, I was going somewhere in my life,” Isaiah Parker said. “I started using it because I could not handle certain things and it was a big mistake. You become a different person and it is unavoidable. The people you love and care about do not recognize you anymore.”
Tia Keopple was another speaker who also had an experience with drugs. It started when she was 8 years old smoking and drinking with her father. She had begun to drink while he was at work. She continued to smoke pot in high school and found a friend who used meth. She had begun to use meth and it led to the drugs getting harder and harder.
They are now all sober and are getting on the right track. They are on supervised probation and have to get random drug tests, but are cleaning up their lives.
“Do not chase that small high, it will ruin your entire life,” Parker said.
Jason Weil is Lovie Weil’s dad and he experienced having to see his son die.
“Who you surround yourself with in life shaped the course of your life. I always told my kids you become a product of your surroundings,” Jason Weil said. “You guys all have a future ahead of you and I saw it the other night at the awards assembly.”
