Fort Worth teen dies, 10 injured in Kaufman County crash

A Fort Worth teenager died in a Kaufman County auto accident. The 18-year-old was a passenger in a sport-utility vehicle caught up in four-car collision.

The Texas Department of Public Safety was notified of the car accident on State Highway 243 round 8:20 p.m. According to investigators, the driver of an eastbound Cadillac Escalade attempted to pass a Chevrolet pickup nine miles from Kaufman near FM 2515.

The Cadillac SUV crashed head-on into an oncoming Ford pickup.

Officials said the driver of the Chevrolet pickup attempted to stop to help crash victims and was rear-ended by a fourth vehicle, a Chevy Tahoe. The second crash caused the pickup to flip upside-down. The teen who died was a passenger in the Tahoe SUV.

Ten people were hurt in the multi-vehicle accident. Half of the victims were airlifted to local medical facilities. Three children were among the victims hospitalized. Victims’ identities and the extent of their injuries were not reported. Six people were treated at hospitals and released.

Police were not able to locate the driver of the Tahoe in which the deceased teenager was a passenger. Investigators identified the 26-year-old and charged the missing driver with failure to stop and render aid. Authorities were still tracking the driver’s whereabouts a full day after the accident.

Negligence may have occurred on more than one level in the multi-vehicle crash. The incident has left law enforcement investigators asking themselves several questions.

• Was the Cadillac SUV in a legal passing zone?
• Or, did the driver miscalculate the speed and distance of the oncoming Ford?
• Was the missing Tahoe driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol or driving without a license?
• Why would the driver leave the scene of the accident without trying to help his passenger or other injured victims?

A Fort Worth teenager is dead and several accident victims are facing a wide range of injuries. Evidence collected could result in further criminal charges. Proof of negligence by one or more of the drivers may also prompt multiple personal injury lawsuits.

Source: wfaa.com, “Four vehicles involved in deadly Kaufman County crash,” Brad Watson, July 1, 2012