Houston man Alan Bryant Hayes strikes, kills Taylor Swift fan on way home from concert

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Through Allie Griffin

April 25, 2023 | 12:26am

An alleged drunken driver struck and killed a Taylor Swift fan on her way home from the star’s concert in Houston over the weekend in a horrific hit-and-run crash.

Jacob Lewis, 20, and his sister were driving back from Swift’s “Eras” Tour at NRG Stadium when their car stalled on the Southwest Freeway early Saturday, according to Houston police and family members.

Lewis got out of the car and was backing it up while his brother sat behind the wheel when the 34-year-old driver, identified as Alan Bryant Hayes, hit him and the car from behind, police said. .

His sister, April Bancroft, told ABC 13 that he witnessed the violent death of his brother.

“I immediately ran to him and called 911,” she said. “And that was it.”

Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene, while Hayes — who had a history of drunken driving — fled the scene in a black Volkswagen Beetle, police said.

The driver of a tow truck who witnessed the crash followed Hayes to the 4500 block of Caroline Street where he exited his vehicle and ran on foot.

He was later arrested by Houston police and taken to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Hayes was then charged with felony driving while intoxicated (third offense) and failure to stop and render aid.

He was booked on a $90,000 bond.

Hayes was previously charged with DWIs in 2014 and 2015, according to ABC 13.

Bancroft said he would rather remember his last moments with his brother singing Swift songs than the tragic crash, the local outlet reported.

“Knowing that we had that experience as our last memory is something wonderful to hold on to, and I will forever,” he said.

In the wake of Lewis’ death, fellow Swift fans, known as “Swifties,” came together to support her family — flooding a GoFundMe page set up for her funeral expenses with $13 in tribute donations to Swift’s favorite number.

As of Monday night, the page had raised more than $93,000.

The victim’s father, Steve Lewis, said his son, who loved to sing and play music, was set to begin his sophomore year in the musical theater program at Sam Houston State University in the fall.

“Jacob will be remembered as a loving and loyal young man who was devoted to his family and friends,” Steve Lewis said in a Facebook post. “His last act was to push his sister to safety on a dark street. There is no way to describe the magnitude of this loss and the emptiness left in our hearts.”