MESA, AZ (AZFamily) — Friends and family of 22-year-old Zoey Johnson and Rayme Barnes gathered outside the Mesa Justice Court on Wednesday to express their grief and seek justice after what happened last weekend.

Johnson was killed and Barnes, 22, was seriously injured after the women were involved in a fatal crash on the highway in Mesa.

Barnes was driving home along US 60 on Sunday when ran out of gas and pulled over on the shoulder near Stapley Drive.

Johnson was called to help, and as both girls were working on the disabled vehicle, investigators say another car veered into them.

“All they were doing was tending to a disabled vehicle when the person pulling heavy equipment, who shouldn’t have been driving, changed all of our lives forever,” said Barnes’ aunt, Robin Dayhoff. “He should have been in prison and he should never have had the opportunity to do what he did.”

Nicholas Meyer, 45, now faces criminal charges in connection with the crash. However, the Arizona family learned that Meyer has a long history of driving with a suspended license.

Meyer also has dozens of other driving offenses dating back to 2014, ranging from speeding and unsafe lane changes to no insurance.

Meyer had his first court appearance on Wednesday, where he was charged with causing death while driving with a suspended license and causing serious injury.

Both are Class I felonies, the most serious form of misdemeanors.

The victims’ families have expressed concern that Meyer is only facing misdemeanors, but criminal defense attorney Robert McWhirter doesn’t think that will be the case much longer.

“It usually takes about a day for the county attorney to review the case and go through the criminal history of the defendants,” McWhirter said. “I’d be shocked if by the end of the week it doesn’t end up as a felony in Superior Court, not city court.”

Johnson and Barnes were best friends and spent a lot of time together, enjoying dirt biking, camping, and boating.

Barnes is still recovering at a Valley hospital. Meanwhile, the victims’ families want to know how Meyer got back behind the wheel.

“It definitely could have been avoided,” Dayhoff said. “He has a long criminal history, which includes most traffic violations. “We pray that we get justice for these girls. For Rayne and Zoey.”

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