MARGATE, Fla. – A 24-year-old man and his 19-year-old girlfriend were killed in a car accident in Margate on Christmas morning.
The crash took place at approximately 1 a.m. on Royal Palm Boulevard off 441. Officials say the Honda Civic veered off the road and slammed into a tree, splitting the vehicle in half.
Both occupants of the vehicle were ejected from the car.
The car’s driver, 24-year-old Craig Williams, and his girlfriend, 19-year-old Reyana Lobban of Lauderhill, were killed. Firefighters believe the vehicle was speeding at the time of the accident.
Williams’ uncle, Wilber Ebanks, said Williams had just left a family party and was on his way home with Sanaa at the time of the crash. Ebanks believes Williams lost control of his car, which caused the wreck.
“I was at home with my grandkids opening up gifts, call came in: Craig’s in an accident and its bad." said Ebanks. “That was his hobby, you know. Cars. He built the car from scratch.”
Lobban’s family said she had started at FIU this summer as a nursing student after graduating from Blanche Ely High School.
Parts from the car were strewn all over the road as investigators began collecting pieces to determine the cause of the accident.
“I heard a loud burst -- an explosion,” said one man who witnessed the crash but didn’t want to provide his name. “I came running to help the family. I seen the girl on the floor. The kid was on the floor. I was trying to help them. … I was trying to lift them up (and) wake them both up. They weren’t responding.
“When I got to the scene, there was a lot of smoke in the air. My face was burning. … It was crazy.”