Business, band hosting benefit for families impacted by fatal 4th of July crash

Editor’s Note: The start time of the benefit has been changed from 6 p.m. to 3 p.m. Also added the quote and the sentence about where the donations would go.

MILTON, WV (WOWK) – A local business and a local band are teaming up to help two families impacted by a fatal vehicle crash on the 4th of July.

Owner of Smokin’ Mama’s Burgers & BBQ Cameron Lester said he, his wife Kelly and the band The Mello Fellows are turning an already-planned concert into a benefit for the family of Braxton McComas and for his teenage passenger who was injured in the crash.

Lester says the benefit is set to take place from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 13. He tells WOWK 13 News one of the band members knows the boys’ families personally, and they wanted to do something to help.

“Our original thing is we were just going to do the concert and take donations and offer that money to the family and we’ve now modified that heavily just because of the community outreach. We’re now doing the benefit concert and raising money for that. We’ve also set up a donation jar in the restaurant for all week. And also, she’s decided now to donate 10% of all of her sales on Saturday to the family as well,” Lester said.

According to Lester, Smokin Mama’s already has a donation jar set up in the restaurant. During the event, they will have additional jars set out.

The owners also say they reached out to McComas’ family about where they want the donations and proceeds to go, and they will be forwarding that money to the other teen who is still in hospital.

Around 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, first responders in Cabell County answered the call to the scene of a deadly car crash on Route 60 in Barboursville. Three vehicles were involved.

McComas, a 17-year-old Cabell Midland High School student, died when the vehicle he was driving was hit by an alleged drunk driver, according to police. His passenger was taken to the hospital with injuries.

The driver of the second vehicle, Joshua Wilson, was also taken to the hospital and is being charged with DUI causing death, according to police. The occupants of the third vehicle were not injured, according to the Barboursville Police Department.

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