AMHERST, N.Y. (WKBW) — A friend of one of the victims who died in a crash in Amherst in February 2023 crash has stepped forward to share his voice to remember the life of Isabella French.
Isabella and two other friends, 18-year-old Azathiel Pabon and 20-year-old Dakota Eldridge, died in the crash.
Earlier this week 19-year-old Jayla Mueller pleaded guilty to multiple charges in connection to the crash. She admitted she was speeding the night of February 20, 2023, on John James Audubon Parkway in Amherst when she lost control of the vehicle on the ramp onto Millersport Highway.
WATCH: Woman admits she caused crash on Millersport Highway in Amherst that killed her three passengers
Prosecutors said the reckless driving is what caused the deaths of French, Pabon, and Eldridge. All three were ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Mueller and a fourth passenger, a 17-year-old boy, were taken to ECMC for non-life-threatening injuries.
The judge committed to sentencing Mueller as a youthful offender as long as she remains arrest-free, complies with the pre-sentence investigation, and appears in court for sentencing. Prosecutors say they intend to request that the court impose the maximum sentence.
"The three of us, me, Angelina and Bella hung out together a lot. We were kind of the trio," French's friend Robbie Augustine said.
"Bella was a very loving person. She was a great person to be around. She had such a strong and loving personality. She really showed that she cared for the people she loved through her friends, her family by her actions every day," Augustine shared.
When the accident happened, Augustine, a Williamsville native, was away at school in Tampa.
He booked the first flight home when he heard his beloved friend was forever gone.
"I think Bella was just a really special person to a lot of people, impacted a lot of people's lives," Augustine said.
Their friend, Angelina Workman who was unable to speak with me in person, shared this statement Wednesday night:
"Bella was not only my best friend, but she was my family, the sister I never had. She was my person, the one I went to for almost anything, the one I laughed with the hardest, I did everything with Bella."
"Justice needs to be served not only for the victims, their friends, and family, but other teens and young drivers to understand that a car is a weapon and not a toy. When you're driving with passengers, their life is in your hands… a life that is precious and is not fair for the driver to be able to jeopardize as a result of negligence behind the wheel."
Mueller faces up to four years in prison with youthful offender status, but Augustine said that punishment wouldn't be enough.
"In my opinion, I think that four years is far too short for a sentence. That's just based on Jayla's actions," he explained.
Augustine explained he wants more accountability and wants Mueller to reflect more on her actions and increase her community service requirements and public speaking events so that others understand the magnitude of her actions.
"All the difficulty it will cause her so far in her life. I think that would be a great step in Jayla not only, showing acknowledging that she can change and is a changed person but also growing from here and growing from where we're at now," Augustine said.
Augustine wants to start a foundation in Bella's name and raise money for veterans.
Mueller will be sentenced in July.
