Chick-fil-A workers killed when car crashes into ravine. ‘Hearts may never be healed’
Three young people were killed in a car wreck after the driver lost control and crashed into an Alabama ravine, deputies said.
Deputies responded to a single-vehicle crash in Hoover at about 10 p.m. on June 17, according to a June 18 release from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
The driver of the vehicle lost control, causing the car to crash into a ravine, killing her and one male and one female passenger, and injuring another, according to the release.
Deputies did not release what may have caused the driver to lose control of the car.
The three killed were later identified by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office as 22-year-old Josiah Phillips, 22-year-old Anna Meyers and 23-year-old Ashley Wyatt, AL.com reported.
All three were employees at a Hoover Chick-fil-A, which announced their deaths on Facebook.
“On Saturday, June 17th, 2023 our Chick-fil-A Family lost three of our most beloved Team Members,” the post read. “Although our hearts may never be healed, we come together now to pray, grieve, rejoice and remember.”
On June 20, the restaurant hosted a candlelight vigil with photos of the three employees and asked community members to bring cards and donations to help the families.
Friends and co-workers shared an abundance of memories and condolences on social media for the three killed.
“Working at Chick-fil-A was my first job ever, and they were always so helpful and kind, and so funny and goofy,” Morgan Hecht wrote. “Going to Waffle House at night, going to six flags, sending memes and funny snapchats to each other all the time.”
“I always felt like the mom of the group because of our age difference, but I loved being around you guys any chance I could. Your group was a family of its own and I loved being part of it. Right now I am simply thankful for our time spent together,” Abigail Esparza wrote.
Meyers, a student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, was remembered by her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi, in a post on Instagram.
“It is with unimaginable sadness that we mourn the loss of our sweet sister and friend, Anna Meyers,” the sorority said. “Her charisma and overwhelming joy will always be remembered in our hearts.”
Wyatt, also a student at UAB, was remembered by friend Rachel Waddell as someone who “could light up a room with her personality.”
“A million memories of us hanging out during one of the most influential seasons of my life came flooding in,” she wrote. “As we grew up we grew apart but the love/support for one another only grew stronger.”
Together, all three were remembered for their contributions to their community and the memories they left behind.
“Ashley Wyatt, Anna Meyers and Josiah (Phillips) had a huge, positive impact on the Hoover community. Terrible loss,” Russell Murphy wrote on Facebook.
Hoover is about 10 miles south of Birmingham.
This story was originally published June 21, 2023 at 12:37 PM with the headline "Chick-fil-A workers killed when car crashes into ravine. ‘Hearts may never be healed’."
