MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Investigators on Thursday were back on the scene of a deadly crash in Southeast Shelby County that left three teenagers dead.
They tried to piece together a timeline.
Phillip Neal Sr. told WREG his nephew, Dorian Neal, was a member of the ROTC and wanted to be in the military just like him. His nephew was killed in the crash.
“We’re going to miss him so much. We’re going to miss him. I miss him right now,” he said. “He was an energetic little guy. He loved to laugh.”
Neal Sr. says he heard about a horrific crash on Crumpler and Holmes Tuesday morning.
A car reportedly ran a red light and slammed into the side of a tractor trailer at Holmes and Crumpler.
Deputies said they later found out two 17-year-olds and one 16-year-old were in the car.
“We were thinking, ‘What a sad thing.’ Later that day, we found out it was my nephew,” said Neal Sr.
Forty-eight hours later, investigators returned to the intersection to recreate the crash. They are also trying to figure out why there was a stolen gun in the car and why the car was reported stolen from a driveway on Kirby Meadows the night before.
“God only know. I don’t wish any family to go through this, but it’s so bad right now. This happened to my nephew. You would never think this would happen to someone so young,” Neal Sr. said.
He says he and other family members never met the other boys in the car. He didn’t even know their names.
He is certain Dorian was home Monday night and the last time family saw him was when he left for school Tuesday morning. He says his nephew had never been in real trouble before.
“No matter what happened. Dorian Neal was a very good guy,” Neal Sr. said.
Dorian was set to turn 18 next week.