James Phyrillas, the man behind the YouTube channel Schaffrillas Productions, is reported to be in critical care after experiencing a fatal car crash on Sunday, January 29, 2023. Unfortunately, James’ brother Patrick Phyrillas and their friend Chris Schaffer died in the crash, which took place in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley.
A Twitter account that spoke on behalf of the editing team at Schaffrillas shared the tragic news. Following the release of the news, Schaffrillas fans started conveying their condolences and wishing James a speedy recovery.
According to the Twitter account, Patrick and Chris were 22 and 25 respectively. James, Patrick, and Chris all formed the Schaffrillas name together, and their channel boasts 1.66 million subscribers.
They make analysis videos on YouTube, along with live-action re-enactments of the popular cartoon series SpongeBob episodes, YouTube Poops, and anime music videos of musical theater songs.
Fans are still in disbelief at the loss of two members of the Schaffrillas Productions
After @PerfectCutPoop tweeted about the car crash and informed everyone about Chris and Patrick's tragic passing, their fans were in utter shock. While some fans offered to help raise funds for medical bills, funerals, and other things that might require financial aid, others said that they were still stunned by the news of the crash.
Some fans also asked if the news was a joke or a hoax, while others said that the Phyrillas brothers and Schaffer were one of their favorite YouTubers. They were deeply saddened to hear about Chris and Patrick's passing. Some, who had faced similar situations, empathized with James, who survived the crash.
A Twitter user said that they went through the details of the crash and pointed out that it could have been avoided had a traffic signal been installed. Agreeing with them, another user said that it should have been brought up as two people lost their lives due to someone else's negligence.
Another Twitter account shared that it was confirmed that James was reportedly alive and conscious. The user continued that while James couldn't log in to Twitter at the time, he was grateful for all the support he was receiving.
What caused the car crash in Lehigh Valley?
According to Upper Macungie Township police, the collision occurred at 4:02 pm, at the intersection of Folk Road and Route 222.
The sedan carrying James, Chris, and Patrick was driving south on Folk Road, trying to cross Hamilton Boulevard when it was hit by a commercial tractor-trailer. The latter was going eastward on Hamilton Boulevard.
According to reports, there was no traffic signal at the intersection as it was under construction. Coroner Daniel Buglio said that the two men, who were both passengers in the sedan, were pronounced dead on the spot. He ruled their deaths as accidents.
As per the coroner’s report, both Chris and Patrick died from blunt-force head injuries. However, Upper Macungie Police took charge of the investigation of the crash. The truck driver was also taken to a hospital for medical evaluation.