Victims identified in fatal head-on collision Thursday on RM 1061 in Potter County
Friday morning update:
Two people from Panama City, Florida, and one person from Amarillo were involved in Thursday morning's fatal accident. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) released more information about the crash that took place in northwest Potter County.
According to a news release, at about 9:40 a.m., a Freightliner Truck tractor towing a semi-trailer, driven by Nehemias Trevino, 29, of Amarillo, was southbound on RM 1061, approximately 17 miles northwest of Amarillo. At the same time, a 2019 Ford F650 (U-Haul box truck), which was hauling a passenger car on a dolly trailer and was being driven by Sonny Reynolds, 51, of Panama City, Florida, was northbound RM 1061. A Dodge Ram pickup truck (unknown year model), driven by Crystal Taylor-Williams, 51, of Panama City, Florida, was northbound traveling behind the U-Haul.
For an unknown reason, the semi truck veered into the northbound lane and collided head-on with the U-Haul. The pickup then collided with the rear of the U-Haul. Upon impact, the semi and U-Haul caught fire in the northbound lane and became fully engulfed with flames, DPS said. The pickup and the passenger vehicle being transported by the U-Haul also caught fire. All vehicles came to a rest in the northbound lane.
Reynolds was pronounced dead on the scene by Potter County Justice of the Peace Debbie Horn. Taylor-Williams was taken by ambulance to Amarillo Northwest Texas Hospital with serious injuries.
Trevino was flown by Lifestar to Amarillo Northwest Texas Hospital with serious injuries.
It was unknown if any of the drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash due to the severe damage to the vehicles.
The posted speed limit was 70 mph, and weather conditions were dry and clear on paved road, according to DPS. The crash remains under investigation by the Texas Highway Patrol Troopers.
Earlier story:
One person was killed and two others hospitalized in a major accident involving three vehicles Thursday morning in northwest Potter County.
According to preliminary information from the Texas Department of Public Safety, a semi-truck was heading southbound on RM-1061 when it veered over the center line into the opposite lane and collided with a U-Haul box truck towing a passenger vehicle that was heading northbound.
A pickup truck that was following the U-Haul box truck collided with the vehicle in an attempt to avoid the collision.
All vehicles involved caught fire. One person died at the scene, and two others were critically injured. One person was airlifted and another was taken by ambulance to Northwest Texas Hospital, both with life-threatening injuries.
First responders from various area agencies were on the scene of the major accident early in the afternoon, and detours were in place around RM-1061 and Tascosa Road, with parts of the road closed near RM 2381 and Bushland Road closed during the day. According to a Twitter post from the Amarillo District of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), "A wreck on RM 1061 has all lanes closed from Oldham County to Potter County. Drivers coming from US 385 will need to take I-40 to Amarillo."
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: 1 dead, 2 injured in head-on accident on RM 1061 in Potter County
