A call for prayers: Levelland, DPS officials offer updates after deadly crash
LEVELLAND - Leaders hosted a news conference Friday in this Hockley County city to thank the community for its prayers and support and to provide updates a day after an animal control officer was killed and another was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash.
The Texas Department of Public Safety and the City of Levelland Police Department also released more information about Thursday morning's crash that came as the animal control officers were responding to a call for service to remove a dead dog from the roadway.
The City of Levelland released a statement confirming the crash and identifying 38-year-old Crystal Goforth as the animal control officer who was killed in the crash while responding to a call for service that took them north of Levelland on U.S. Highway 385.
Jon Corder, 41, another employee in the vehicle, was critically injured in the crash and taken by AeroCare to a Lubbock hospital.
Albert Garcia, chief of police for Levelland Police Department, said Corder remained in critical condition as of Friday afternoon.
"His family members are there with him at this time," Garcia said. "We're asking for everyone to please remember to keep them in prayer while they're going through this tragic time."
Investigators with the DPS believe Goforth and Corder were parked on the northbound improved shoulder of U.S. 385 in a 2016 Ford F150 pickup truck.
A 2013 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by 42-year-old Adrian Lozano from Sundown, drifted into the improved should when traveling northbound on U.S. 385, striking the Ford pickup truck from the rear, according to the DPS.
Goforth was pronounced dead at the scene and Corder was taken by AeroCare to University Medical Center in Lubbock with critical injuries. Lozano was transported to Covenant in Levelland, and his condition was not made clear by DPS.
"While the event has critically injured and taken one of ours there was another party involved and we want to say that we hope and pray that the gentleman in the other vehicle, he and his family are OK and that they are recovering and are going to be fine," Garcia said.
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Goforth has worked in the city of Levelland's Animal Control division since 2019, according to a statement from the city.
She was married to the City of Levelland Wastewater Superintendent, Joshua Goforth. They have a 15-year-old son.
"Crystal was a blessing every day. I have been blessed with the best team in the world,” said Capt. Tammie McDonald, who, according to the statement from the city, regularly finds opportunities to brag on her Animal Control and Animal Shelter staff.
An official donation account has been set up through Prosperity Bank where individuals can make donations at any of their branches by mentioning the Blue and You LPD Special Account.
Levelland Police Chief Albert Garcia said members of his department were standing by at the hospital with Corder's family, ready to help as needed.
“We could use some prayer warriors right now," he said.
Corder has worked in Animal Control since March 2021, and, along with Goforth, has been instrumental in increasing the visibility and marketability of Levelland's shelter animals, according to the city.
The city's Animal Control department asked for patience from the community as it would have difficulty responding to calls as there is currently only one officer available and community volunteers taking care of the animals.
"Thanks to all the volunteers that have just immediately - they reached out to us and we have other outside agencies that have animal control officers that have reached out to us and let us know that they're there for us and are willing to help whatever they can do to assist us in our shelter needs," Garcia said. "We want to thank them publicly."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: DPS releases more information about deadly Levelland crash
