Friend: Nease graduate killed in St. Augustine crash was the 'sweetest boy in the world'

PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — A total of five people are recovering, including three Nease High School seniors, after a crash Sunday night that killed 18-year-old Griffin Moody.

It happened just after 8 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of State Road 16 and Murabella Parkway.

Grief counselors were on hand at Nease Monday.

A friend of the students involved in the crash, Victoria Bolena, said the school is pulling for them to recover soon.

“The whole school literally just had a prayer session,” said Bolena.

The Florida Highway Patrol said 17-year-old Meghan Theobald, who was driving a 2005 Ford Focus, failed to see an oncoming 2010 Nissan Frontier as she tried making a left onto Murabella Parkway from SR 16.

Note: FHP reported Theobald as being 18 in its press release but on Wednesday the agency’s public information officer corrected its error in her age.

Also in the car with Theobald were 18-year-old sisters Mary and Claire Crean, and Moody.

The driver of the Frontier, Weston Power, 20, and his passenger Tresca Esguerra, 19, were also seriously injured.

Moody died at the scene. According to Bolena, he was attending the University of Central Florida.

“Sweetest boy in the world, someone you would want to introduce to your parents,” said Bolena.

Bolena said Claire Crean and Moody were dating and the group was on their way back from the beach.

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“I'm thinking about what's going to happen to Claire whenever she wakes up and sees that the love of her life isn't there,” said Bolena.

Both cars were left mangled and a medical helicopter had to be called to the scene. Witness Lisa Phillips said she called 911 and prayed with the teens until help arrived.

“Being there and seeing, it was absolutely devastating,” said Phillips.

Theobald has been released from the hospital. The Crean sisters are being treated at UF Health Jacksonville where Bolena said they have a long road to recovery ahead.

“Things like this, it doesn't just affect the families, it affects everyone,” said Bolena.

Bolena said she was supposed to go with her friends to the beach but couldn’t because she had to work. She said the incident has made her realize how short and fragile life can be.

“We go out every weekend, we do crazy stuff every weekend, you don't ever think about it -- you think we're invincible,” said Bolena.

Troopers said alcohol was not involved in the crash and according to a press it’s unclear if Moody was wearing his seat belt.

Cox Media Group