Mustang Football To Dedicate Season To Student Killed In Car Crash

Manor High School football coach Sadd Jackson and his Mustang team will dedicate Friday’s game against Hutto High School and the rest of their season in honor of Lance Thomas, a teen killed in a car crash on Tuesday.

According to police, a black 2014 Kia Sedan was traveling westbound on the 9700 block of East Hwy 290 Service Road. For an unknown reason, the car drifted off of the road, struck a grass embankment and flipped. 

Thomas was pronounced dead on the scene, while the two other passengers were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Manor ISD issued the following statement:

“It is with great sadness that Manor ISD has to announce that former Manor High School and current Manor Excel High School senior, Lance Thomas, died in a car wreck earlier this morning. While attending Manor High School, Lance played both football and basketball. Lance had two siblings in Manor ISD, one at ShadowGlen Elementary and one at Manor Middle School. The District has a team of counselors and student support services that are available at all three high school campuses to provide comfort and support during this very difficult time. If you have special counseling concerns, please contact Ms. Paula Schneider at 512-278-4815.

“Please keep Lance’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. The District will provide the community with additional information regarding services as soon as details are available.”

According to school officials, this Friday’s game also happens to take place on Senior Night. In honor of Thomas, there will be a moment of silence, a balloon release and a presentation of Thomas’ jersey to his family. Thomas’ basketball coach, Anthony Swain, set up a Go Fund Me page to help the family with funeral arrangements. The donations have already reached more than $5000.

“Lance lost his precious life too early and his family is in need of assistance to give him a proper burial,” Swain wrote on the page. “Because of the bond I had with this student and his family, I feel that it is my duty to help in some type of way. With permission from his mother, I have decided to create this account.”

According to police, this is Austin’s 77th fatal traffic crash the and the 85th fatality in 2015.

[Photo: Lance Thomas Go Fund Me Page]