This could happen to you: Vancleave students see danger of distracted driving

VANCLEAVE -- During a dramatization Tuesday morning, Vancleave High School students were shown the harsh consequences of making bad decisions.

The Jackson County Sheriff's Department joined several county first responding agencies to organize an accident reenactment for the student body.

The reenactment was scheduled to precede the school's prom, which will be Saturday night.

"We wanted to have an opportunity to do a community event where we show the students what the results can be from distracted and drunk driving," Vancleave Assistant Principal John Mundy said. "This was headed up by our SRO, our principal and the drama department."

The drill, which was videotaped by representatives from Oasis Church, will be shown to other students, Mundy said.

"We can use this for broadcast for future events such as graduation," he said. "If this event can keep one student from being injured or hurt, it was worth it."

The dramatization started with some students driving up on a head-on collision in front of the school. They pulled over and called 911. Emergency responders arrived and immediately went to work.

Brice Webster played a driver of an SUV that had been hit by another car. He was actually airlifted off the campus by helicopter. It is later revealed his SUV had been hit by someone who had been drinking and driving. The driver of the second vehicle was handcuffed in front of the student body and placed into a waiting patrol car.

Several students were "injured" in the crash and one was killed. The body of the "deceased" young student was placed into a body bag and then into a hearse as the Sarah McLachlan song "I Will Remember You" played over the school's PA.

Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell said the exercise was not just about preventing drinking and driving.

"This shows what can happen not only from drinking and driving but from distracted driving, which means texting and driving," he said. "This is what can happen when you aren't paying attention to what's going on. It's a very sobering display situation. Even though it's staged, it's real. These things can happen in a flash."

Ezell said the exercise was also a reminder for the young drivers to wear their seat belts.

"I would say from assessing the situation that none of the kids in the reenactment were wearing seat belts -- that could have made the difference between life and death."

As the scene unfolded toward its tragic end, the expressions on the students' faces ranged from uncomfortable smiles to shock and tears.

"This was hard to watch," Nathan McWilliams, 16, said. "It really showed what can happen when you aren't paying attention and texting. It was tough seeing people I know in the accident."

The reenactment was especially tough for Melissa Webster, whose son was one of the accident victims.

"I'm just trying not to cry," she said. "You just worry about your kids every time they leave the house. I just have to keep telling myself, 'This is only make believe; it's not real.'"

This story was originally published March 8, 2016 at 6:05 PM with the headline "This could happen to you: Vancleave students see danger of distracted driving ."