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Rhiannon Boudreaux and Harley Morgan had only been married five minutes before they were killed in a tragic car accident. On Friday, August 23, the Vidor, Texas couple died just as they left the Justice of the Peace’s office.
Earlier that afternoon, the two set off to tie the knot with five friends and family members in tow as witnesses. Rhiannon was wearing her wedding dress and had a bouquet of red flowers, while Harley was dressed in a formal dark suit. At approximately 3 p.m., the civil ceremony concluded.
Immediately after the nuptials, Harley and Rhiannon planned to drive to the courthouse, file their marriage certificate, legally change Rhiannon’s last name, and then head back to his mother’s house for cake and a small celebration.
Harley was pulling out of the Justice of the Peace’s parking lot onto U.S. Highway 87, when the couple’s Chevy Cavalier was struck by an oncoming 2015 Ford F-250 towing a trailer with a tractor. Harley’s mother and sister were in the car behind the newlyweds’ and witnessed the horrific accident. The groom’s sister, Christina Fontenot, said everything happened so quickly, she doubted the two ever saw the truck coming.
Harley’s mother, LaShawna Morgan, also saw the horrific accident. “Today as a mother, my worst nightmare happened in front of my eyes,” she said. “They had so many dreams.”
Rhiannon Marie Boudreaux Morgan & Harley Morgan Had Dated Since Junior High School
Rhiannon Boudreaux Morgan, 20 and Harley Joe Morgan, 19, had dated off and on since the eighth grade. Orange Police Captain Keith Longlois described the two as “childhood sweethearts.” On July 20, Rhiannon announced on Facebook that the two were engaged. “The only thing that they wanted was to get married and to start their life,” LaShawna Morgan said.
The couple lived in Vidor, a city of approximately 10,000 that’s six miles east of Beaumont. Harley, who was a night baker at the Vidor Dunkin’ Donuts, was considering attending college. Rhiannon worked at the local Walmart and was planning to study nursing, the Beaumont Enterprise reported.
Harley’s Mother Attempted to Pull the Couple Out of the Car
LaShawna Morgan recalled trying to pull the couple from the wreckage. “I watched my baby die. I’m still wearing my son’s blood because I was trying my best to rip him and her out of the car,” she told reporters soon after the accident.
After the crash, LaShawna Morgan waited as police officers retrieved wedding mementos from the Harley and Rhiannon’s car, including the bride’s bouquet and an envelope containing the couple’s marriage license.
The Accident Is Still Under Investigation
Witnesses said Harley and Rhiannon’s Chevy Cavalier was hit with such force that it rolled over several times before finally resting in a ditch on the side of the road.
According to law enforcement, the accident is still under investigation. There was no sign of wrong-doing on the part of the truck’s driver, who is fully cooperating. Authorities noted that drug and alcohol tests are still pending. The driver’s name has not been disclosed.
Rhiannon & Harley Were Planning a December Wedding
Harley’s family shared that he and Rhiannon were planning a Christmas wedding.
“The 20th of December, where we were going to have the big matrimony with the flowers, their friends, the rest of the family, everything,” Fontenot revealed.
Harley and Rhiannon Were Pronounced Dead by the Same Official Who Married the Couple
Harley Morgan and Rhiannon Boudreaux Morgan were married by Orange County Justice of the Peace Judge Joy Dubose-Simonton. Just minutes after presiding over their nuptials, Dubose-Simonton had to declare the couple dead.
“Even if you’re mad, hug your family,” LaShawna Morgan said. “Love your family. Even if they’ve made you mad, make amends. Don’t go to bed angry because you don’t know. You don’t know how fast you can lose that person.”