Bridge City community remembers teen with dedication

It's been almost a year since the Bridge City community lost a high school senior in a car accident.

18-year-old Bethany "Bliss" Payne, along with her friend, 19-year-old Jacquelyn Branch of Nederland, were killed late on December 1, 2008.

The girls were crossing Helena Avenue at N. 14th Street in Nederland when their vehicle was hit by a car on one side, and pushed into an oak tree.

Thursday, the Bridge City community paid tribute to Payne at a dedication ceremony.

Bliss Payne's family, friends and community are determined to remember the teen for how she lived and the lives she affected.

A group of about 40 did that this afternoon by dedicating two bird baths to Bliss at Bridge City High School.

Fellow cheerleaders, classmates, teachers, coaches and family shared stories about the 18-year-old who participated in several school activities including Cosmotology and a vocational leadership program.

Most of those stories were about Bliss' leadership skills and loyalty to her beliefs.  It's for that reason school staff says it chose to honor Bliss' memory at the high school.

Authorities say 25-year-old Glen Allen Keel III was the driver that hit the teens' car going 92 miles-per-hour on Helena avenue, which is a 30 mile-per-hour street.

Keel was indicted in September on two counts of manslaughter.  He's currently in the Jefferson County jail on $200,000 bond.