Appalling revelation about SUV driver, 16, who swerved into path of family's van, killing five of them and himself

By WILKO MARTÍNEZ-CACHERO, US REPORTER Published: 19:08, 4 June 2026 | Updated: 19:20, 4 June 2026 The teen SUV driver who swerved his car into the path of an oncoming family's minivan in North Carolina had drugs in his system during the crash, records have revealed.  Logan Sauer, 16, was driving his 2014 Honda CR-V SUV south in the middle lane of the outer loop of Interstate 485 in Charlotte on July 26. Simultaneously, a 2002 Chrysler Town & Country minivan was going south in the right lane when Sauer abruptly turned to the right lane at 78 mph, hitting the minivan's left front tire. The van was being driven by 27-year-old Samuel Jacob Holmes with fiancée 23-year-old Taylor Willis in the passenger's seat and Brynlyn Holmes, one, Addyson Holmes, three, and Kamron Wood, eight, also in the car. Both vehicles spun out of control and collided with a truck-tractor semi-trailer. The crash killed Sauer and five of the family van's occupants. A preliminary factual report released on Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and viewed by the Daily Mail determined that delta-9-THC had been found in Sauer's blood and urine. Delta-9 THC is the main psychoactive chemical found in marijuana, hashish and cannabis edibles, the NTSB said. Photos of the crash's aftermath released by the federal agency showed the two vehicles completely obliterated. Logan Sauer, 16, abruptly swerved his 2014 Honda CR-V SUV south in the middle lane of Interstate 485 in Charlotte on July 26, leading to a crash that killed five members of a family The 2002 Chrysler Town & Country minivan, being driven by 27-year-old Samuel Jacob Holmes with 23-year-old Taylor Willis in the passenger's seat and Brynlyn Holmes, one, Addyson Holmes, three, and Kamron Wood, eight, also in the car, was destroyed post-crash A photo showing the aftermath of Sauer's 2014 Honda CR-V SUVs dashboard and steering wheel  The NTSB said that Sauer had a North Carolina Class C Level 2 limited provisional license, which the teen's dad said he received on his birthday. As a result of his license's conditions, Sauer was allowed to drive without supervision from 5am to 9pm. On the day of the crash, Sauer had planned to meet his mother and brother at Carowinds, a well-known amusement park that straddles the state line between North and South Carolina. Sauer's dad told investigators that the exit to the amusement park was about five miles from the popular park. Phone records obtained by the NTSB after the collision indicated that Sauer had been on multiple calls with his mother that morning. The last one ended roughly three minutes before the fatal crash, according to the report. Sauer suffered a fracture to his right collar bone, fractures to his forearm and bleeding around the brain because of the collision, according to the NTSB. The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's Office said he died because of blunt-force injuries caused by a vehicle crash, per the report. Holmes and Willis were in the front of the minivan, while all the children were in the two rows behind them Holmes, pictured with his family, suffered fractured ribs, fractures to his arms, jaw and neck, as well as lacerations to his heart, left lung, liver and spleen Wood was found dead in the minivan's cargo area behind the second row seats with scattered contusions, abrasions and internal injuries The minivan being driven by Holmes had two seats installed in each of its first two rows, according to the NTSB report. Two of the van's occupants, Wood and a 16-year-old girl, were behind the second row of seats, where a third row would have been installed. They were not wearing seatbelts, the NTSB said, but the other four people in the minivan were. Three-year-old Addyson was secured in a booster seat, while one-year-old Brynlyn was secured in a forward-facing car seat. Holmes was found dead in the driver's seat of the minivan, having suffered fractured ribs, fractures to his arms, jaw and neck, as well as lacerations to his heart, left lung, liver and spleen. A public obituary remembered Holmes, a private security officer and avid fisherman, as a 'bright light in the lives of all who knew him.' Willis died in the front passenger seat, with the report adding that evidence suggested her head was hanging outside the car window. She sustained multiple fractures to the left side of her face and right ribs, according to the NTSB. Willis, a deli industry manager, was honored for her 'unyielding spirit and bubbly personality' in a public obit. Sauer abruptly turned his car (pictured) to the right lane at 78 mph, hitting the minivan's left front tire After that, the minivan (pictured) and the SUV spun out of control and collided with a truck-tractor semi-trailer The back two occupants of the van were not wearing seatbelts, while the other four were, according to the NTSB report Brynlyn was found dead with skull fractures and facial lacerations, per the NTSB report. A public obituary said she 'brought joy and a whole lot of laughter into the lives of everyone who knew her with [an] infectious smile and playful spirit.' Meanwhile, Addyson was declared dead with bilateral femur fractures and lacerations. She was tributed for her infectious playful spirit in a public obit. Wood, Willis' cousin, died in the cargo area behind the second row seats with scattered contusions, abrasions and internal injuries. He was described as an 'adventurous spirit who loved exploring the beauty of nature,' per a public memorial. The 16-year-old girl was found conscious and rushed to Levine Children's Hospital for treatment after being pulled from the wreckage. Her name was identified as Katelynn and she was recovering at home in Gastonia after the crash, according to the Charlotte Observer.  She was discharged from the hospital on July 30 with an orbital fracture, a left clavicle fracture and vertebra fractures, the NTSB said. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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