Two children and their stepfather died in a two-vehicle weekend crash while in route from one soccer game to another.
Officials said Eric Meyer, 43; Joshua Pierson, 12; and Nicholas Pierson, 11, died when a tractor-trailer rig clipped their sport utility vehicle, causing it to roll over along Highway 171 near County Road 1001 in Johnson County.
The family was on its way from a soccer game in Cleburne. Candice Meyer, the boys' mother and Meyer's wife, and Joshua's best friend, Austin Thornton, 13, were also in the vehicle.
Tony Harrington, the head coach of the boys' soccer team and a firefighter, was following the family in his car.
"It was one of the worst accidents I have ever seen in my 20 years as a firefighter, " he said.
Harrington said he knew Eric Meyer, Joshua and Nicholas were dead at the scene.
News of the crash spread quickly among the boys soccer team, the Weatherford 'Roo's, and parents struggled to console their children.
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Weatherford school district officials said Joshua was a seventh-grader at Tison Middle School in Weatherford, while Nicholas was a fifth-grader at Mary Martin Elementary School. Grief counselors were at the two schools on Monday.
Harrington said the soccer team will also meet for counseling.
A school district spokesman said the boys' mother, Candy Meyer, was treated for minor injuries and released from Harris Methodist Fort Worth hospital. Thornton was also treated for minor injuries and released.
The Pierson boys are also survived by their 17-year-old sister.
The Weatherford 'Roo's Soccer Team has created the Meyers Memorial Fund at Plains Capital Bank for the family.
