Mother wants to thank heroes for rescuing 5 teens from deadly crash

Candy Sherman's niece killed, daughter and 4 other teens injured in I-295 crash

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A mother is searching for the heroes who helped save her teenage daughter and four other teens from a deadly car crash. 

The mother's niece, 19-year-old Courtney Cox, was driving a Chevrolet Cruze with her daughter and four other teenagers on Friday night.

Cox was driving south on I-295 about 11 p.m. when the Cruze went off the highway and struck a tree north of Pritchard Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Troopers said Cox died at the scene and the five other teens were taken to UF Health with critical injuries. 

Candy Sherman told News4Jax on Monday that if it wasn't for the witnesses who stopped and helped after the crash, her 14-year-old daughter and the four other teens, ages 14 to 16, probably wouldn't have survived. 

"I flew to the hospital and when I walked into the room, my hear just hit my feet," Sherman said. "She was (in a) neck brace and she's just all banged up."

Rachyl

Her daughter, Rachyl Catlin, has been released from the hospital, but Sherman said she wants to thank the heroes who helped save the girl.

"I'm just trying to find the people who stopped and helped because they didn't have to do that. They could have just kept driving. They didn't have to do what they did," the mother said. "But because of what they did, I have her here today and she's OK and she's alive."

Sherman said her niece had just surprised Rachyl before they went out with friends Friday night. She said the crash happened about 10 minutes after they left.

"She overcorrected herself or something had happened that she went off the road," Sherman said.

She said witnesses stopped to pull the teens out of the car. 

"Thank you doesn't say it. And if they're out there watching, they can prepare themselves for the biggest hug they're ever going to have in their life," Sherman said. "Words -- I can't even express them because I have my daughter here and I can say, 'I love you.' She can hear me say, 'I love you.'"

Courtney Cox

Sherman said her daughter suffered some brain damage and bleeding, and has short-term memory loss. The mother said she has a long road to recovery, but it could have been much worse. She said she hopes Rachyl will be able to return to school in two weeks.

She also said her daughter is having a hard time since Rachyl's cousin died in the crash. Sherman asked for thoughts and prayers for Cox's family members as they grieve the tragic loss.

News4Jax wants to help Sherman connect with her daughter's heroes. If you know who the good Samaritans are, please feel free to email cpeel@wjxt.com.


About the Author:

Corley Peel is a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate who covered big stories in Joplin, Missouri, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jacksonville, Florida before returning to the Lone Star State. When not reporting, Corley enjoys hot yoga, Tech Football, and finding the best tacos in town.