Warren crash survivor: 'I wish I could have saved somebody'

WARREN, Ohio - "Everybody else was screaming, screaming and stuff. And as soon as I got out, it was completely silent," said 15-year-old Asher Lewis, one of only two survivors in Sunday's tragic car crash that took the lives of six teens.

Lewis, visibly shook up, recalled what happened three days ago when his friend Brian Henry woke him up that morning to tell him their ride had arrived. The pair was heading back to Henry's house after spending the night after Henry's girlfriend's place.

Groggy, he piled in amongst seven other teens. He said he didn't know the driver, Alexis Cayson, who didn't hold a valid driver's license in the state of Ohio.

“I had never seen her a day in my life,” said Lewis.

Lewis said he also didn't know that the vehicle Cayson was driving, a 1998 black Honda Passport, may been stolen. Monday, the vehicle's owner, Marquis Stephenson of Youngstown, reported it stolen to Warren police.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said the Passport was recovered with the keys inside. According to the traffic crash report, Cayson, who was living with a friend in Warren, took the car without permission early Sunday morning from Stephenson, the friend's brother. Stephenson spent Saturday night at his sister's house where Cayson was staying.

"I don't know if the car lost control by itself, or if she did it on purpose, but all I remember is my head knocking off the window, and me waking up in the water,” said Lewis.

Lewis said Henry broke one of the car's windows and escaped first. He then followed and tried to save 14-year-old Andrique Bennett who was sitting on his lap.

“Bennett tried to grab my leg and stuff, but he just gave up because there was too much water in his face,” said Lewis.

Lewis and Henry then ran about a quarter of a mile to a friend's house to get help.

“It happened so fast, I just wish I could have saved somebody,” added Lewis.