BILLINGS — The roar of engines filled the Billings Heights Saturday afternoon as dozens of vehicles lined up to honor the life of 19-year-old Alexus "Lexy" Pyle, a Laurel teenager killed in a 2021 crash, and to raise funds for a cause that keeps her memory alive.
Watch here to see dozens of cars gather to honor a Laurel teen's memory:
Pyle was a passenger in a two-vehicle crash near downtown Billings in August of 2021. According to court records, the driver, Payton Hunter, was speeding down First Avenue North and had previously run a red light. He later admitted to police that he had been drinking before the crash. In 2024, nearly three years later, Hunter was convicted of one count of criminal endangerment and sentenced to five years with the Montana Department of Corrections.
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Lexy’s family has since channeled their grief into action. They launched the Love for Lexy Foundation in 2022, which provides scholarships for students pursuing careers in nursing, a dream Lexy herself had hoped to fulfill before her life was cut short. The foundation also assists with Christmas gifts and prom dresses for those in need.
“For my family, it's kind of just, got to keep going. We got to keep her name out. We got to try and prevent drunk driving and reckless driving," said Taylor Dunn, Lexy's sister.
The second annual Love for Lexy car show took place at the All American Pharmaceutical parking lot, where car enthusiasts gathered to support the cause. Images of yellow sunflowers were seen spread throughout the event, Lexy’s favorite flower and the symbol her family said best represents the bright personality they remember her by.
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“Every time she walked into a room, her smile lit up the room, like everyone just dropped and was happy," recalled Dunn. "My house is covered in (sunflowers). Every single vehicle that we have has a Lexy sticker on it. It either has a Lexy sticker on it or it has a Lexy license plate on it. You can't miss it ever.”
The event was organized by the Ride Out Car Club Montana chapter, whose members wanted to use their passion for cars to give back to the community. Rocky Stone, the club's president, discovered the foundation last year, and has since put on the annual car meet to promote safe and sober driving.
“It's unfortunate that somebody had to lose their life in a situation to bring the community together like this, so we've chosen this family to work with, and what a better opportunity to do it for a family that is involved in a car scene as well,” said Stone.
Last year’s show drew more than 200 cars and raised $1,000. This year, organizers aimed higher, hoping to raise $5,000 and draw between 200 and 800 attendees.
Beyond the shiny hoods and revving engines, car lovers showed up to support the foundation's mission and honor Lexy's memory.
“We all come together for the love of what we do and what we enjoy, and our passion is cars," said Stone. "We try to create that space to where we enable opportunities for like-minded people to just come together in a positive atmosphere where there's no drinking. There's no drugs. There's no violence. There's no gun activity. None of that.”
All proceeds from the event will go directly to the Love for Lexy Foundation. This year alone, the foundation has awarded four scholarships, each worth $500.
