In 1971 J. Standard Baker Quoted " Drivers Towing Trailers  Are Four (4) Times As Unsafe As Those In Cars Alone! 

Friends grieve at memorial near site of crash that killed 2 teens in west St. Lucie CountyWill Greenlee, will.greenlee@tcpalm.com Published 9:59 a.m. ET Feb. 7, 2018 | Updated 8:13 p.m. ET Feb. 7, 2018

Friends and family gathered in the median of Okeechobee Road Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, to mourn the deaths of Santia Feketa, 18, and Britney Poindexter, 17, both of Fort Pierce, on Okeechobee Road just west of Midway Road in Fort Pierce. The two teenagers were killed Tuesday, Feb. 6, after their pickup was hit head-on by an RV driven by a 98-year-old Michigan man. JEREMIAH WILSON/TCPALM

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — They gathered in a grassy median on Okeechobee Road, west of the fairgrounds where semi-trucks whizzed past and open countryside is to the north and south. 

Bouquets of flowers sat in the median and balloons were tied to a traffic sign.

It’s where their friends, Santia Feketa, 18, and Britney Poindexter, 17, were struck Tuesday night by a wrong-way driver not far from their homes.

The Poindexter and Feketa homes are on separate streets west of the crash site.

The teens, described as best friends, died after the 6:53 p.m. crash.

More: Two teens dead after crash with wrong-way driver in St. Lucie County

[People gather Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at the site]

People gather Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at the site of the fatal car crash on Okeechobee Road in western St. Lucie County that killed two teens, Santia Myriah Feketa, 18, of Fort Pierce, and Britney Lee Poindexter, 17, of Port St. Lucie. (Photo: LEAH VOSS/TCPALM)

The area where the crash occurred has two lanes going east and two going west separated by a grass median. It is a rural area not far from the so-called Bridge to Nowhere.

Several dozen people gathered in the median late Wednesday afternoon. Some embraced or cried but most stood or sat in silence.

Just before 5 p.m., they spread out into a circle and clasped hands in prayer, reciting The Lord’s Prayer.

Smiles and jokes

“Britney loved life more than anyone I know,” said Mckenzie Perslin, 18. “No matter what happened she always had a smile on her face.”

Savannah Yarborough, 17, said Feketa was “just hysterical.” 

“As soon as she walked in the room she’d light you up,” Yarborough said. “All she knew was to crack some jokes and make you happy.”

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Feketa was driving a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado east on Okeechobee Road west of Midway Road when a recreational vehicle traveling west in the eastbound lanes collided with them. Feketa and Britney wore seatbelts.FacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedIn
Scene of double fatal car accident cleared, friends gather at site
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Friends and family gathered in the median of Okeechobee Road Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, to mourn the deaths of Santia Feketa, 18, and Britney Poindexter, 17, both of Fort Pierce, on Okeechobee Road just west of Midway Road in Fort Pierce. The two teenagers were killed Tuesday, Feb. 6, after their pickup was hit head-on by an RV driven by a 99-year-old Michigan man.   JEREMIAH WILSON/TCPALM

Walter Roney, 98, of Dearborn, Michigan, was driving with passenger Carolyn Elizabeth-Evans Bruns, 75, of Brighton, Michigan.

Both were in critical condition Wednesday afternoon in Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce, according to hospital officials.

Lt. Al Feola, FHP spokesman, said Wednesday FHP officials are working to interview Roney and Bruns but have not been able to do so because of their conditions.

Friends said Feketa graduated last year from Fort Pierce Central High School, at which Britney was in 11th grade. 

[People gather Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at the site]

People gather Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at the site of the fatal car crash on Okeechobee Road in western St. Lucie County that killed two teens, Santia Myriah Feketa, 18, of Fort Pierce, and Britney Lee Poindexter, 17, of Port St. Lucie. (Photo: LEAH VOSS/TCPALM)

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St. Lucie County School District's chief communications officer, Kerry Padrick, said the district's crisis team will provide support services to students and staff as needed at the high school in dealing with the girls' loss. 

Feketa had completed her associate degree at Indian River State College through dual enrollment while in high school. She was in her first semester working toward a bachelor's degree at IRSC, where she was studying elementary education, according college spokesman Robert Lane. 

Friends said she wanted to be a kindergarten teacher.

'Sunshine for everyone'

Perslin said Britney had an open heart.

“She cared about everyone … no matter if you didn’t like her or not,” Perslin said.

Avery Tomlinson, 18, said she was closer with Britney but knew Feketa.

“No matter what happened to her, no matter what was happening to you she would make the room light up,” Tomlinson said of Britney. “She was just the sunshine for everyone.”

[People gather Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at the site]

People gather Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at the site of the fatal car crash on Okeechobee Road in western St. Lucie County that killed two teens, Santia Myriah Feketa, 18, of Fort Pierce, and Britney Lee Poindexter, 17, of Port St. Lucie. (Photo: LEAH VOSS/TCPALM)

She said Britney had a horse and loved taking care of animals.

“The (St. Lucie County) Fair was definitely her strong suit,” Perslin said. “She was just a very outgoing, loving girl. There’s no other words to put it.”

Mary Becton, Britney’s horseback riding instructor and good friend, said Britney liked to barrel race. Her favorite horse, Solo, died about a month ago.

Aimee Townsend, Britney’s 4H leader, said Britney had another horse named Rusty. She said Britney was like a daughter to her.

Becton’s daughter, 11-year-old Kaleigh, said Britney cheered everyone up. Kaleigh said Britney was like a big sister to her.

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“Even if you’re having a bad day and she was having a bad day, both of our days would get better because she would just cheer you up and make you happy,” Kaleigh said. “No matter who it was, she would walk up to them and say, ‘Hi I’m Britney,' and they would be like instant friends.”Play Video2 GIRLS KILLED IN WRONG-WAY CRASH ON OKEECHOBEE ROAD

We warned the NTSB 8 years ago in person ...We have been asking questions of our Public Safety Officials Ever Since.

Never in our minds would we ever think the RV Industry would be so vicious and attack our cause to the point that we are barely surviving trying to save lives.

Wake up...No RV license nothing...no training...no books at the state level nothing....why?

We ask if a 98 year old man wanted to become a Biker Dude he would be required to take a class then take a test and obtain a license to operate a Motorcycle right?

But this very same man can simply go out today and buy a 100,000----200,000---- or even a 300,000 RV that is bigger than a School bus....and drive faster than you on the highway towing a trailer and in some cases a car behind the trailer and be allowed to do it with a REGULAR LICENSE....that is nuts.  We have solutions....but our solutions have been destroyed by the RV INDUSTRY.