Left: April Bancroft and her brother, Jacob Lewis, who was killed by an alleged drunk driver while driving home from a Taylor Swift concert (via Facebook). Right: suspect Alan Bryant Hayes (via Houston Police).
A Taylor Swift fan was killed as he was trying to move his stalled car off the road on the way home from the pop superstar's concert after being struck by an alleged drunk driver.
Jacob Lewis, 20, died early Saturday morning, according to family members and police in Houston, Texas. He and his sister, April Bancroft, were driving home from Swift's Houston stop on her "Eras" tour when their car stalled.
"On their way back from the Taylor Swift concert, April Bancroft and Jacob had car trouble on the freeway," Jacob's father, Steve Lewis, wrote on Facebook. "They made it to the shoulder, and Jacob was pushing the car to the nearby exit, when they were rear-ended. Jacob died instantly."
The suspected driver, Alan Bryant Hayes, 34, allegedly tried to run, but was followed by a tow truck driver who had previously seen him driving erratically and decided to follow him, local ABC affiliate KTRK reported.
KTRK also reported that Bancroft, who says she saw the driver hit her brother, begged Hayes not to leave after he briefly got out of his car before fleeing.
"I immediately ran to him and called 911," she said, according to the station. "And that was it."
The Houston Police Department issued a press release Monday confirming that there had been a fatal hit-and-run on an area freeway at around 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, April 22.
"The driver (victim) of a red Buick LaCrosse was traveling northbound on the Southwest Freeway when the vehicle became disabled on the main lanes of the freeway," the press release said. "The victim exited the vehicle and was attempting to push the vehicle from behind while a second person stayed in the driver's seat. Hayes, driving a black Volkswagen Beetle also northbound on the freeway, struck the victim and his vehicle."
That victim — later identified as Lewis — was pronounced dead at the scene by responding Houston Fire Department paramedics, the press release said.
Hayes reportedly tried to get away, but the truck driver who heard the crash stayed on him until authorities were able to apprehend him.
"Hayes fled the scene and was followed by a wrecker driver to the 4500 block of Caroline Street where he then fled on foot," the police press release said. "He was later taken into custody by responding HPD South Central patrol officers."
Hayes was treated for minor injuries at an area hospital before being charged, according to the press release. He is now facing charges of felony driving while intoxicated (DWI) and failure to stop and render aid.
Court records show that Hayes was initially ordered to remain in custody on $90,000 bond on the two charges. On Monday, however, a judge increased that amount to $120,000 after prosecutors argued that the initial $20,000 bond for the DWI charge wasn't sufficient because Hayes has two previous DWI offenses.
Bancroft told KTRK that she is grateful to have experienced Swift's show before her brother was taken from her.
"Knowing we had that experience as our last memory is something wonderful to hold on to, and I will forever," she told the station.
Bancroft has received support online from Swift fans directing people to contribute to the family's GoFundMe and to wear bracelets in his honor.
"I cannot even describe the pain I feel at this moment for the loss of my brother," Bancroft wrote on Twitter, adding that the siblings "loved [Swift] so much."
"Thank you for making this our last memory together," Bancroft added.
