Petrolia coach, local baseball legend killed in two-vehicle accident
A two-vehicle accident claimed the life of Petrolia head baseball coach Pat Maxwell on Thursday evening and injured two other people.
Wichita County deputies and the Texas Department of Public Safety worked the scene of the fatal collision. According to DPS, shortly after 6 p.m. a pickup truck was traveling north on Highway 79 when the driver attempted to pass two trucks pulling horse trailers.
The driver of the pickup pulled into the path of a Tahoe traveling south and collided with it. The driver and passenger in the pickup were transported to the hospital. The driver of the Tahoe was killed.
Maxwell was driver of the Tahoe and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the pickup was Chance Mills, 17, of Wichita Falls. He was seriously injured. His passenger, Colby Izaguirre,18, also of Wichita Falls was listed in stable condition.
Petrolia CISD Superintendent Kenda Cox issued a Facebook post:
“With a sad and heavy heart, Petrolia CISD must share the news of the unexpected loss of Coach Pat Maxwell in a tragic automobile accident. He was a beloved and valued member of the PCISD family. Coach Maxwell was a dedicated and amazing coach that loved and was loved by his players. Please join us in lifting up his family, friends, co-workers and students in prayer as we all navigate through this devastating time. Grief counselors will be available at Petrolia High School on Monday, April 24th," the post said. “Once again please be in prayer for his family, students and co-workers during this very difficult time.”
Maxwell was 53 years old. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and two daughters, Madi and Mallory.
Maxwell was an all-state high school baseball player at Holliday. He went on to play at Western New Mexico University and was a 29th-round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in 1991. He topped out at the Double A level in 1994 and 1995, alternating between second and third base. He batted .270 with 173 runs scored and 121 RBIs in an eight-year pro baseball career.
Maxwell began his coaching career with Petrolia in 2000, spending three seasons with the Pirates. He then spent a decade at Archer City, winning the TRN Sports coverage area’s first state baseball championship in 2007.
Maxwell spent seven seasons in Godley, rebuilding the program into a state title contender. He led the Wildcats to the program’s first state tournament in 2018.
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Maxwell returned to Petrolia for the 2019-20 school year, leading the Pirates to the playoffs the past two seasons. They won their first playoff game since 2012 last season.
Maxwell coached the Pirates to a 4-2 victory against Archer City in Petrolia on Tuesday. The Pirates are scheduled to play at Archer City at 5 p.m. Friday, although the status of that game is now in question.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Petrolia baseball coach Pat Maxwell killed in car wreck
