GREGG COUNTY, TX (06/04/2015) — Brandi Pittman and Blane Reynolds were killed, and two others were injured in a two-vehicle crash on Thursday evening near Kilgore, Texas on Highway 31 at FM 3053.
According to reports, Brandi Pittman was killed on Thursday evening after a two-vehicle accident in Gregg County, Texas. The incident occurred along Highway 31, just south of FM 3053, at around 8:43 p.m., about 3 1/2 miles from Kilgore.
The Texas Department of Public Safety stated that 42-year-old Carl Linkinhoker, of Kilgore, was driving a 2014 Dodge Ram—towing a flatbed—and stopped at the intersection of FM3053 and Highway 31. Linkinhoker then turned east onto Highway 31 and collided with a westbound 1998 Honda Civic driven by 29-year-old Brandon Aills Sr., of Longview.
Aills was taken to Good Shephed Medical Center in Longview, Texas in stable condition. One of his passengers, 28-year-old Brandi Pittman, of Gilmer, was also transported to Good Shepherd where she was later pronounced dead.
Aills’ second passenger, 7-year-old Blane Reynolds, died at the scene and his body was taken to Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore. The fourth victim in Aills’ Civic was a 4-month-old, who was taken to Good Shepherd in critical condition.
This crash is pending investigation.
Commentary
Reports state that Aills did not have his headlights on at the time of the accident, but they may have not been required at that time of day. Texas requires that headlights be turned on 30 minutes after sunset, or when visibility is less than 1000 feet. The time of sunset was 8:23 p.m. in Kilgore, Texas on Thursday, and the accident was reported to have occurred “around 8:43 p.m.”
Our thoughts are with all of the victims involved in this accident. We hope that a thorough investigation is performed, and all issues of liability are addressed.
