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Updated: 7:21 PM Mar 16, 2010
Tallahassee High School Mourns the Loss of Crash Victims
Students and staff at Florida High are still in shock after a Sunday evening crash claimed the life of a student and employee. Now they're preparing to say their final goodbyes.
Posted: 6:26 PM Mar 15, 2010Reporter: Tara Herrschaft Email Address: tara.herrschaft@wctv.tv |
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Updated 3/16:
The Florida High cafeteria will no longer be the same without Paula Reeves, who friends called Missy. The happy, smiling mother of four worked at the school for about three years.
"She always came in laughing in the morning. She was always cheerful, she would just tease with the kids, tease with us and if somebody was in a bad mood she was the one that could always get you in a good mood," said Linda Searight, the cafeteria manager.
Missy was killed in a crash Sunday evening on Tram Road. She was in the van with 21 year-old Candice Ragans, who also died. Ragans father says she was easy going and liked the outdoors. She was attending North Florida College and worked at a daycare.
In a bizarre twist of fate, their van was hit by another van, and at the wheel was 16 year-old Caleb Smith. As it turns out, he worked closely with Missy and the other cafeteria staff. The tenth grader at Florida High was taking a culinary arts elective.
"He was sort of shy, but he always had this little ornery twinkle in his eye and he got along well with everybody here. Everybody liked him. He was one of our better students," said Searight.
The funeral and viewing for Caleb Smith will be Wednesday, March 17th at the Waukeenah United Methodist Church which is at 81 Methodist Church Road in Waukeenah. The viewing is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and the funeral starts at 3 p.m.
The viewing for Missy Reeves is Wednesday night, March 17th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Beggs Funeral home which is located at 485 E. Dogwood Street in Monticello. The funeral is scheduled for Thursday, March 18th at 2p.m. at Wacissa Pentecostal Holiness, which located at 152 Tram Road in Wacissa.
The viewing for Candice Ragans is Wednesday night, March 17th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Bevis Funeral home which is located at 2710 N Monroe Street in Tallahassee. The funeral is scheduled for Thursday, March 18th at 1 p.m. at the Waukeenah United Methodist Church in Waukeenah.
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Grief counselors were brought in to Florida High School Monday, March 15th to give both teachers and students support. Three people were killed in a car crash Sunday, March 14th on Tram Road.
One of the victims was 16 year-old Caleb Smith who was in tenth grade at Florida High. 34 year-old Paula Reeves, who goes by Missy, was also killed. The mother of four worked in the school cafeteria and also drove the athletic bus. 21 year-old Candice Ragans was also killed.
"It's been a very, very emotional day for everyone on all levels. All of course our teachers and staff, and we're most concerned always about our students. You could just see the hurt, the tremendous hurt," said Lynn Wicker, the Director of Florida State University Schools, Florida High.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers say Smith was driving a 2005 Kia Sedona van when it veered off the road, hit two mailboxes and smashed into another Kia Sedona. Reeves and Ragans were in the other van. FHP reports that all three died on the scene, and they were all wearing seatbelts. The investigation is still open.
So far no specifics have been released about a memorial service or funeral for the victims. Grief counselors will be on campus at Florida High all week.
Latest Comments
OK I know its ben a while but HANK it was not after dark when Caleb was on his way to meet his mother and RB get your facts straight before you put things on this website you know NOTHING about.......This accident was not determined to be anyones fault so how dare you put the blame on my stepson....I also knew Missy and loved her dearly. If you had any idea how much hurt losing your child causes you would never write anything on this website like this.....
Why was a 16 year old driving alone? Did the laws change recently????? Someone??
You can't even imagine how hard it was to be at school Monday. It was terrible, EVERYONE was bawling. Missy was the coolest lunch lady around, and Caleb was hilarious! He could crack a joke outta anything. I feel so sorry for Caleb's girlfriend, Megan, because Sunday was her 16th birthday. And all of Missy's kids (there are 4, and the oldest is in 8th grade!). This is truly tragic. REST IN PEACE CANDICE RAGAN, CALEB SMITH, AND MISSY REEVES. YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN
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