Fatal crash victims at start, end of HS

WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) - Of the two high school students killed in a drunk driving crash early Sunday morning, one was just beginning her high school career and the other was days away from graduation.

Both of them died in a rollover crash on the I-196 off-ramp to Chicago Drive in Wyoming. Police say drunk driving may have been a factor in the crash, which also injured three others.

Family members confirmed that the victims who died were Timothy See, 17, and Krysta Howell, who turned 15 in March.

Timothy's family said he was looking forward to graduating in the coming days and had recently taken his senior photos.

Krysta's family said she was just beginning her high school career as a freshman, looking ahead to her first high school summer vacation.

"She's beautiful. ... She's very outgoing," Krysta's mother Angel Howell told 24 Hour News 8 Sunday afternoon. "It just doesn't seem real to me."

Howell said she got word of the crash Sunday morning while she was out of town in Gun Lake. She wasn't told that Krysta had died until she got home.

"I don't believe it yet," she said. "You're not supposed to outlive your kids."

Krysta spent a great deal of time with her family and developed a tradition each Tuesday with her mom that the pair called "movie night." They picked Tuesday because that's when new releases hit the shelves at the rental stores.

As she works to deal with the situation, animosity toward the suspected and arrested drunk driver, 17-year-old Takunda Mavima, was not on her mind.

"I don't know about the driver. I don't even know who he is," Howell said. "I don't have any anger right now. It hasn't hit me."

The news of the crash spread quickly through the Wyoming Park High School community. Several students showed up at Krysta's home to express their condolences.

About 500 people gathered at a vigil for Timothy and Krysta at Wyoming Park High School on Sunday evening.

The vigil was planned by students who wanted to pay their respects to the victims. School administrators and counselors were there.

Attendees lit candles in remembrance of the teens. Superintendent Thomas Reeder spoke to the crowd, talking about a response plan that was in place for Monday.

Thunder, lightning and rain drove people from the football field a little after 9:30 p.m., but some remained despite the weather.

Howell said she hopes other teens are learning something from this tragedy.

"There needs to be more awareness," she said. "I know Krysta knew. I know she knew better."

The last time Howell saw her daughter was Friday. The mother and daughter spent quality time together and went to the tanning salon together.

There's a lot about the crash that killed Howell's youngest child -- her only daughter -- that she still doesn't have answers about, including whether or not her daughter had been drinking the night of the crash.

Right now, her focus is on getting through the initial phases of the sudden tragedy.

"I've been waiting for her to walk through the door because it's not real to me that she's gone," Howell said. "You're not supposed to outlive your kids. ... I don't know what we'll do."