An unfortunate encounter with a dump truck killed a Fort Bend County high school student following a trucking collision.
17-year-old Bailey Cooper, a senior at Foster High School, was the swim team captain and had just finished practice. She left school around 3:45 p.m. in her 1991 Toyota 4Runner and pulled out from the school's parking lot onto FM 723 at Beadle Lane, when she appeared to veer into the oncoming lane and crashed head-on into a Mack dump truck. Cooper was killed instantly, but the driver of the dump truck was not injured at all.
The Texas Department of Public Safety report says it was a rainy afternoon, and it is unclear as to why Cooper swerved into the southbound lane. The truck driver attempted to avoid the accident, but was not able to.
The loss of Cooper was clearly felt throughout the Foster High School community, as many of her teachers and classmates felt compelled to share what a great person she was.
"She just lit up the room whenever she walked in, always had a smile on her face, she was an amazing girl," said Blythe Hope, Cooper's friend.
"She was beautiful inside and outside," said Gene Tomas, principal of Foster High School. "She truly left her imprint at Foster High School. Foster High School is a better place because of Bailey Cooper." Tomas also said that he got to know Cooper and her entire family when she was a freshman because of her participation on the school swim team.
Cooper leaves behind her parents, Gary and Desiree Cooper, as well as her younger brother, Cody Cooper.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Bailey Cooper during this extremely difficult time.