Neighbors in Port Aransas say it feels like a dark cloud is hovering over their coastal city lately, following tragedy after tragedy. The most recent tragedy is the death of 17-year-old Byron Davis, a Port Aransas High School student who died early Saturday morning when his pickup truck drove off the road and hit a building near East Cotter Avenue and Tarrant Avenue.
"Things like this happen sometimes and it's always tragic when it does," Port Aransas Police Depaartment Chief James Stokes said.
Crash investigators say Byron was driving too fast for the roadway and lost control of the vehicle.
"The preliminary investigation looks like it was, he was driving too fast for the roadway and lost control of it, and that's what caused the accident," Chief Stokes said.
Classmates, parents, and others in the community gathered in the parking lot of Port Aransas High School Sunday night for a prayer service in Byron's memory.
"I had no words. Because he's so young and I never would've expected it," said Haylee Ramsey, a friend and former co-worker of Byron Davis.
Ramsey used to work with Byron at the old Moby Dick's Seafood Restaurant in Port Aransas.
"Thankful, that we all had the opportunity to get together and pray over it, and that's why I love Port Aransas because all the community is so close, and it's definitely not like other towns that I've seen before," Ramsey said.
Friends remember Byron for his positive attitude and friendly personality.
"And I obviously miss him very much. He was always very bubbly, and if he had something going on, you would never knew about it because he was always happy and he always wanted to talk to somebody," Ramsey said.
Byron's death marks the third death of a Port Aransas local in the past month.
On May 10, 61-year-old Heather Miller was killed on her golf cart when she was hit by what police say was a drunk driver on the beach.
On May 26, well-known Port Aransas paramedic Bert Howie was shot and killed in Ingleside.
Despite these tragedies, the community continues to come together during difficult times.
"This town's been through a lot over the last you know, several years from Hurricane Harvey all the way up to you know, these tragedies that have been occurring here. Everybody comes together and supports their neighbors and helps out whenever something like this happens," Chief Stokes said.
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