A Tarrant County employee died in Fort Worth I-35 pileup. Could it have been avoided?

Tarrant County is facing criticism because a county court clerk was one of the six people who died Thursday in a pileup of over 100 vehicles on I-35W in Fort Worth.

Tiffany Louann Gerred, 34, of Northlake worked as an administrative court clerk in the 360th Family Court and was on her way to work when cars, pickup trucks and 18-wheelers collided on an icy half-mile section in the southbound express lanes of I-35W near downtown. Authorities said 133 vehicles were involved in the crash.

People took to Twitter and Facebook to criticize and ask why the county didn’t either have a delayed opening or close its offices. People also wondered why Gerred didn’t work from home.

Marty Leewright, an attorney with Bob Leonard Law Group in Fort Worth, said lawyers and residents are discussing whether the county is making decisions that consider the safety of its employees.

“Was it a wise decision to let this young woman come into work with icing conditions like that?” he said.

In law, Leewright said, predicting possible serious injury or death is called “reasonable foresee-ability.” In this weather situation, responsible employers delay opening for employees, clients or customers, he said.

The weather service had issued a winter weather advisory for North Texas through 3 p.m. Thursday, warning freezing rain could lead to icy bridges and roadways. People were advised to slow down and use caution while driving, and to prepare for possible power outages.

Leewright said the county should consider having a weather policy like Fort Worth schools, which have delays or close schools when there is inclement weather.

Attorney and author Courtney Dachelle Key wrote on Twitter, “It’s infuriating she had to go in as everything can easily be done over Zoom.”

Tarrant County District Clerk Thomas Wilder said he has allowed employees to come late to work on other occasions when the weather was bad, but never closed his offices over the weather. Wilder would not comment on anything else.

Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said what happened Thursday was a tragic accident, but the county’s policy is that the government doesn’t close. If employees don’t feel comfortable coming to work, they can use a vacation day and if they don’t have any, they still can stay home, but they won’t get paid and also won’t face reprimands.

“I don’t think our policy is going to change at all,” Whitley said. “That’s a policy that we’ve had when I came to the court 24 years ago and I think we’ll continue.”

If the policy were to change, it would have to be introduced to the Commissioners Court and they would have to vote on it.

In an email to staff on Friday, Wilder said Gerred was a “beacon of light with her energetic personality.”

Wilder also let his staff know that resources are available as they deal with the loss. Whitley said the county will do whatever is necessary to help Gerred’s family. A GoFundMe account has also been set for Gerred, who had an 11-year-old daughter.

“In-short Tiffany was an amazingly beautiful person. Fiercely loyal to everyone blessed enough to be in her family, or to call her friend,” her family writes on her GoFundMe page.