DALLAS — A man and his child are dead after a crash early Saturday morning in Dallas where the driver lost control and hit a tree.
Police say the crash happened at about 2:45 a.m. on July 1 in the 6400 block of Grand Avenue.
Investigators said the driver was 25-year-old James Lee Bernard III. His 1-year-old son, James Lee Bernard IV, was on the lap of his 22-year-old longtime girlfriend. She's now in serious condition at the hospital.
Faye Burns, Bernard's aunt, woke up to a call from law enforcement at 4 a.m.
"I got a phone call saying he had been in a bad car accident, but we didn’t know what happened," she said.
More than three hours later, after waiting at the hospital for information, they decided to call the morgue.
“The morgue told him at that time that he was not going to be brought to the hospital because he was pronounced dead at the scene," Isaiah Burns, Bernard's uncle, said.
Investigators determined Bernard was driving a gray 2007 Mercury Milan northbound on East Grand Avenue at a high speed when he lost control, hit a curb and wasn't able to stop before crashing into a large tree.
"It’s hard to accept it and believe it," Isaiah Burns said. "Like, 'oh man they made a mistake.'”
Faye and Isaiah Burns said Bernard’s young son inherited his signature smile. His passion was making music and his family. Their pain is deepest for the infant they called a ball of energy and joy.
“It’s amazing when you watch their personalities start to develop and he was a happy baby," Isaiah said. "He was just a great little kid.”
“I just hate – we didn’t even really get to know him," Faye said. "He didn’t even get to grow up. His life just ended too soon.”