JONESBORO, La. (KNOE) - A car accident in Lincoln Parish claimed the lives of three teenagers on July 26, 2021. Another surviving passenger is fighting for his life.
The incident happened around 3:45 p.m. on Works Rd., west of La. Hwy 818. La. police said the driver and two of the three passengers were ejected from the car and pronounced dead at the scene.
The community of Jonesboro is mourning the loss of 19-year-old Lajermanique Nichols, her brother, 17-year-old LaJavion Nichols, and 17-year-old Javious Holden. Lajavion Nichols and Holden played football for Jonesboro-Hodge High School. Friends and family say they will be forever missed.
The surviving passenger, 18-year-old Edward Kary is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
“Jonesboro is a very small town and we’re like family here, I’ve watched them grow up from child to the young adults that they’ve become,” said Jonesboro Minister Timothy Stewart.
Lajermanique Nichols was going to be a sophomore at Grambling State University.
“Each of them was amazing. Like I said, I coached them through little league and mentored them through our summer program at our church and they were just wonderful individuals,” said Stewart.
Her brother, Lajavion Nichols was a Jonesboro-Hodge High School football player heading into his junior year. Javious Holden also played football and was looking forward to his senior year. Their head coach, Terrance Blankenship, said they were great kids and athletes.
“Lajavion was kind of like the heartbeat, the leader of the team, hard worker, you know, and Javious we called him ‘J5’ he was more like you know, he had a smile on his face, kind of like laid back a little bit, easy-going, the kids loved both of them,” said Blankenship.
8-year-old Jalonah Amos said she looked up to her older brother “J5″ Holden.
“He was a great guy, he joked a lot and I loved him from the bottom of my heart,” said Amos. “Like I loved him so so so so so much, that was my only brother.”
A’zariah Baker says Lajermanique Nichols was her teacher at the Boys and Girls Club.
“She was like a big sister to me,” said Baker.
Blankenship said it’s times like these that the community must come together.
“It shook this community, those three people that lost their lives, and we’re still praying for the Kary family cause there’s one other kid in there and he’s going through surgery right now so we praying for his healing too, you know,” said Blankenship.
Kary was also ejected from the vehicle. Police say nobody was wearing seatbelts. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
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