JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
The mother of a Terry High School student injured in Tuesday's interstate crash has a warning for teen drivers, remain alert while behind the wheel.
Cameron Toney's mother is thankful her son and his friends are alive, but she says distracted driving almost cost them their lives.
Elaine Toney was numb after learning that Cameron was in a horrifying car crash after leaving school Tuesday.
After all he was only supposed to take the school bus, but he hitched a ride with two friends, driver Nicholas Brown and passenger Kadarrius Bullie, to get home faster.
"He was just finishing putting on his head phones and he said he remembers looking up seeing the little bars, the median the little steel things coming at him fast and he said the next thing he knows he was in the ambulance," said Elaine Toney.
Sixteen year old Kadarrius Bullie is in critical condition.
Cameron has broken bones and head lacerations and is listed in good condition.
Brown, a sophomore, has been treated and released.
M.H.P. investigators said the Nissan Maxima was traveling north on I-55 near Wynndale Road when it ran off the pavement and into the median, flipping several times.
"Remember that these cars are not toys," said the woman shaken by her son's near death experience.
Toney wants this accident to be a reminder to teenagers about the dangers of distracted driving.
"They need to remember that when they get behind the wheels of these cars that they're taking their lives and possibly other people's lives in their hands," said Toney.
The grateful mother said the accident could have been worse.
She and husband Anthony ask for prayers for Kadarrius and her son's recoveries.
Toney said the Terry High students are all good kids who made a bad decision.
One her 16 year old son won't soon forget.
"We just can't wait for Cameron to be home and be well and healthy so that we can beat his butt," joked Toney while breaking into a smile of relief.
Cameron turns 17 years old Sunday.
His mother expects him to be released from the hospital in a few days.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Copyright 2012 WLBT. All rights reserved.
Cameron Toney (Source: Terry H.S. Yearbook)
Nicholas Brown (Source: Terry H.S. Yearbook)
Kadarrius Bullie (Source: Terry H.S. Yearbook)
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