Father tragically killed while saving children in Panama City Beach
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Friends of a 29-year-old Missouri man are raising money for his family after he was killed in Panama City Beach Friday night.
The family was vacationing here at the time of the tragedy. Not only are they grieving their loss, but also seeking justice.
This wasn’t Thomas and Makenzie Lyon’s first visit to Panama City Beach. The couple was married here in the area last year and returned last week to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. They also just found out Makenzie was pregnant.
But all their joy turned to sorrow Friday night when Thomas was killed.
The family was crossing Front Beach Road around 9:00 p.m. when a speeding car approached them. Thomas pushed his children and nephew out of the way just moments before the car hit him.
He gave his life to save the kids.
“I don’t know that we’re ever over this trauma, the gut-wrenching trauma. And I think the main thing is to realize that we witnessed this. It wasn’t just like this guy was drinking and driving. And he told us to come in a car, Thomas was standing on the side of the road, and we all witnessed and saw with our own eyes him get smashed by a car going 80 miles per hour,” victims mother Shawna Witt said.
The man driving the car was 39-year-old Casey Rattan from Panama City Beach. Florida Highway Patrol troopers believe he was driving under the influence of alcohol. He was charged with DUI homicide and vehicular manslaughter.
“We are looking at contributing factors that are coupled with the alcohol. We believe speed may be a limiting factor, but we want to confirm that with our investigative techniques before we just outright say speed is a factor. So those are many things we’re working on to definitely come to a full conclusion. Hopefully, we’ll know more in a few months when we close out this case for sure,” Highway Patrol Trooper Jason King said.
A judge set Rattan’s bond at $250,000. He posted bond Saturday and was released, which has infuriated the Lyon family.
“Furious. He was out walking free before we even made it halfway home to Missouri. And my daughter had to travel back from ours with her husband and father to her children. And she had to call his parents and tell them, and we will be seeking justice for Thomas and every avenue possible. We will not absolutely will not stop,” Witt said.
The goal for the GoFundMe set up to help Makenzie Lyon take care of her family was $9,000. Donations have already surpassed that amount and now sitting at $26,000.
