Kingman community reeling over deaths of 2 top Lee Williams softball players
The Kingman community is grieving the deaths of two of Lee Williams High School's most beloved classmates and athletes.
Last Thursday night, senior Tatum Meins and freshman Sherene Walema died from injuries suffered in a car accident that sent three others to the hospital. They were both passengers in the car that slid sideways, struck two electric poles and rolled before stopping with the roof of the car on the groud, according to reports.
Four passengers were ejected and the 16-year-old male driver had to be extricated by first responders. The three boys were flown to a Las Vegas hospital, where they all underwent surgery, according to the Kingman Unified School District.
Law enforcement reportedly said speeding was a factor in the accident.
Two days earlier, Meins, 17, became the first Lee Williams softball player to sign a national letter of intent to play at a college. She had signed with William Penn University of Iowa.
Walema, 15, led Lee Williams in hitting with a .458 batting average in 20 games with a team-leading 22 hits.
"The Kingman community and Lee Williams family are taking this loss very hard," said Sarah Hamilton, the school's athletic director and dean of students, in an email. "Sherene and Tatum were incredibly spunky, out-going, and well-liked individuals, and it is heart-breaking to see their time with all of us cut short."
Hamilton said the two were considered "social butterflies," involved in various ways on campus. Tatum was part of the school's student council and volleyball teams. Both were involved in the local softball community.
"Sherene was a great varsity player as only a freshman and Tatum was the first softball player in Lee Williams history to sign to play softball in college," Hamilton said. "Both Tatum and Sherene will be greatly missed."
A vigil was held on Friday with people cramming into Lee Williams' auditorium, according to the Kingman Miner.
Kingman police told The Miner that Meins was pronounced dead at the scene and Walema died after being transported to Kingman Regional Medical Center.
During the vigil, where people shared stories on stage about the athletes, the softball coach was too choked and left the stage after a few words, The Miner reported.
Lee Williams baseball coach Zach Smith said the community is crushed by this tragedy.
"Those two were the most unique people you could ever meet," Smith said to The Arizona Republic in an email. "Both had the most outgoing and loving personalities you could ever want. They were an important piece in our school and community that has the works at their fingertips and so much love and light to give this life.
"My heart hurts for their families, friends and our school. There’s not one thing either of them wouldn’t do to help someone else. Our school and community are crushed, our young people are going through something that no young person should ever have to go through."
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kingman community reeling over deaths of 2 softball players
