NASSAUVILLE, Fla. – As a memorial grows on the Nassau County road where two boys were killed Saturday night in a crash, one of the seven children in the SUV that struck a pole and overturned confirms the driver had been drinking.
The driver, mother of the two boys who died, and two teenagers hurt are out of the hospital Monday. Three other children remain at UF Health Jacksonville, one in serious condition.
Nicholai Capallia, 9, and Nehemiah Capallia-Bird, 8, died when the Ford Explorer struck a utility pole on a Nassau County road, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
Troopers said Tonya Naomi Capallia-Eason was driving north on Lonnie Crews Road just south of Lina Road when she failed to negotiate the right-hand curve, crossed the southbound lane, left the road and struck a utility pole. The SUV continued north and overturned on Lina Road.
"There’s, like, a lot of kids in the car," a caller told the 911 operator. "They hit a telephone pole and, oh my God."
James Nelson, a 15-year-old who survived the crash, said they were leaving a Halloween party.
"We got to this little curve over there and she whipped it real hard. I blinked (and) we were rolling, blinked (and we) hit the light pole, and I blinked again and we were right here," Nelson said.
In addition to the two boys who died, Nina Capallia 7, was taken to UF Health Jacksonville with critical injuries. Four other children, ages 13 to 15, were taken to UF Health, as was Capallia-Eason, 33.
Trinity Hancock, a family friend who was riding in the SUV, was also ejected. The 14-year-old considers herself lucky that she only suffered an injured foot and a few scratches.
"I woke up and I was far from everybody. I tried to get up," she said. "I saw Nick, (13-year-old) Naomie and (15-year-old Marleigh) and Tonya screaming, 'Get the kids, not me.'"
The crash report said Capallia-Eason had alcohol in her system at the time of the crash.
Trinity said people ask Capallia-Eason not to drive home from the party.
"There was people yelling at her, saying, 'Don’t drive because you been drinking.' But they didn’t do anything physically to stop her," she said. "They didn't take the key. They didn’t do anything; they just said, 'Don’t drive' when she was getting ready to leave."
According to the accident report, Capallia-Eason was wearing a seat belt, but it wasn't known if any of the children were in seat belts or child restraints. Troopers said charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.
Troopers returned to the scene Monday to continue their investigation into the accident as more families and friends stopped by the growing memorial where the SUV made its final stop.
Despite the tragedy, Trinity's mother said she has already forgiven the driver.
"As much as I want to be angry at Tonya for putting my baby in that kind of danger, as a mom and as a Christian, I feel more humbled and blessed that she is OK," Tobi Wilson said.
The utility pole has since been replaced, but nothing can replace the two lives lost, and only time will help heal the wounds of those injured and the grief of those who knew the family.
"Nick and Nehemiah. Nick was the 12-year-old and Nehemiah was the 9-year-old. He was always funny. If you were feeling down, he would always try something to make you happy," a friend of the victims, Vanessa Sever, said. "Nick was the man of the house. He'd always do yard work, he was always helping someone out."
The father of the two boys' killed and their sister 7-year-old sister, Nina, who lives in Michigan, said he immediately flew down.
"I was notified by the father of one of the other children involved," Andrew Bird said. "Nobody else notified me from here, so we immediately got down here."
Hancock’s mother is grateful her daughter is alive.
"We are very blessed. Her name is Trinity, and it has a meaning," Wilson said. "I never knew why God gave me that name for her until this moment. She had some angels carrying her out of that vehicle."
There were grief counselors at Yulee Elementary on Monday, which is the school that the boys attended. Capallia-Eason, who was driving Saturday night and among six people injured in the crash, was a part-time school bus aide for the Nassau County school district in 2014.
News4Jax learned Capallia-Eason has had two speeding tickets over the last 20 years and another for driving without a valid license, but she currently has a valid driver's license.