East Texas

ARP — Jonathon Graham waited Thursday morning for his ride to school, which he has done every day since school started this year. This time, his ride didn’t arrive.

Standing in the Agriculture Department shop at Arp High School, Jonathon remembered 16-year-old Samuel Travis McGilvra and how he learned of his best friend’s death.

“I was waiting for Sam to pick me up this morning, but he never showed up,” the lanky teen said. “I called his house and asked his mother if he was coming to pick me up and she told me what happened. That’s how I found out.”

Arp High School and the surrounding community are dealing with the tragedy that claimed Sam’s life and critically injured Ashley Lynne Kitchings, his 17-year-old girlfriend.

According to a Texas Department of Public Safety report by trooper Rob Hartman, the accident occurred on County Road 2106 in east Smith County shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The report states that Sam was pronounced dead at the scene after the 2006 Volkswagen he was driving left the roadway and flipped.

The report stated the Volkswagen was traveling west on CR 2106 about 1.3 miles north of Texas Highway 135 when the car left the roadway and the driver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to flip.

Ashley remains in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. Those close to her family said the teenager is paralyzed from the neck down and underwent surgery Thursday to stabilize her condition.

Arp High School Assistant Principal Wendy Popescu said the school was devastated by the news and counselors were on campus to help students.