CRISFIELD, Md.- Hearts remain heavy as the community mourns the loss of a Andrea Joyner, 15, who was killed in a multi-vehicle crash Friday. Today, students and staff at Crisfield High School, where Andrea went, dressed in yellow and wore bows to honor her.
Sadness and pain continues to run deep throughout the Crisfield community as family, friends and even strangers visibly mourn the loss of Andrea, a sophomore at Crisfield High School.
Mickayla Houck, Andrea's cousin, is a freshman at the school. Mickayla and others came dressed from head-to-toe in yellow. Yellow ribbons were tied to school buses and flag poles at the school. Mickayla tells WBOC yellow was Andrea's favorite color.
With her father's permission, Mikayla told WBOC how she feels knowing her cousin is gone forever.
" I feel sad. It's really upsetting, but it was her time," she said.
Jordan Joyner is Mikayla's father and Andrea's great-uncle. Joyner fought back tears as he recalled the day she died. He is an ambulance driver for the Crisfield Fire Department and was on-call Friday. He said he was did not know his loved ones were the victims of the crash, until he went to the hospital.
"Things happen for a reason and we just have to pull through this as a family," Joyner said.
Maryland State Police said Andrea and her mother, 38-year-old Patricia, were traveling northbound on Rt. 413 when Christopher Garcia, 22, of North Bergen, New Jersey rear-ended the pair with his box-truck.
Troopers said his passenger is identified as Romairo T. Shuler, 28, of Salisbury, Md. Both men were taken by ambulance to PRMC where they were treated and released. The truck is registered to Home Delivery Inc., of Seaford, DE.
Troopers said Andrea and her mother were sitting in a left turn lane, trying to turn into a driveway, when Garcia hit them, sending them in the path of an oncoming vehicle driving in the southbound lane. That driver was Rosario J. Barrett, 73, of Marion, Md.
She was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC) for treatment of what has been reported to be non-life threatening injuries.
Troopers said Andrea died at PRMC shortly after the crash. Her mother is in stable, but critical condition, according to family members.
The preliminary investigation does not indicate alcohol was a factor in this crash. No charges have been filed yet.
Andrea's funeral will be held Saturday, April 4 at 2 p.m. in the auditorium at Crisfield High School.
Donations are being accepted at the school.
