AG Youth Group Involved in Fatal Crash

Three members of a North Texas Assemblies of God church remained hospitalized Monday afternoon after a Friday night crash that left two others dead.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported that the wreck took place around 5:25 p.m. Friday in Palo Pinto County when a 2010 Mitsubishi traveling north on Texas state highway 337 crossed the center line and collided with a southbound 1999 Chevrolet Express passenger van.

The driver of the single-occupancy car, Jessica Lee Harris of Graham, Texas, was killed in the accident. The auto caught fire after the impact. A funeral service for Harris, 33, was held this afternoon at Christian Hope in Newcastle, the AG church she attended.

A passenger in the van, Stacey Dailey, also of Graham, died Saturday morning at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth from injuries sustained in the crash. The funeral for Dailey, 40, will be held Tuesday afternoon at Faith Center Assembly of God in Graham. Stacey and her husband, Chris, celebrated their 20 ^th wedding anniversary last month.

Dailey and six others in the van from Faith Center were en route to the AG North Texas District Youth Fine Arts Festival in Waxahachie when the wreck occurred. The crash site is about 30 miles east of the church. The van rolled on its side and top before coming to rest against a tree, investigating officers reported. All van passengers were wearing seat belts, according to the Texas DPS.

Faith Center Pastor Gary A. Elrod has spent much of the past several days visiting the severely injured, all of whom were flown to Fort Worth via helicopter ambulances. Brittany Fellers, 11, remains in serious condition at John Peter Smith Hospital with multiple injuries. Elrod says the girl suffered internal bleeding and underwent lumbar surgery Monday. Brittany has a broken neck, broken back, a pelvis broken in two places, a broken left femur, a shattered right shoulder, and multiple fractures below her knee, according to Elrod.

The driver of the church van, 49-year-old Ken Weimer, also is hospitalized at John Peter Smith. Elrod says Weimer has two fractures in his back, broken ribs, a broken left wrist, a broken right tibia, and a broken kneecap.

The third person still receiving medical treatment is Kelli Mellema, 30. Mellema has a broken vertebra in her back as well as severe leg and foot injuries, Elrod says. Mellema is a patient at Harris Methodist Hospital.

Three other van passengers have been treated for injuries and released, the pastor says. Pamela Whitlock, 14, sustained a broken arm. Tori Wright, 15, had surgery to repair a lacerated ear. Brock Daily, 15, the only child of Stacey Dailey, also has been released.

Elrod says the church is dealing with the tragedy by the grace of God and prayer support from local and district churches, as well as the North Texas District office.