TYLER, TX (12/15/2015) — The Texas DPS identified Luis Morales-Vega and Randy Smith Jr. as the victims of a fatal auto-pedestrian accident that occurred on Tuesday morning.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, 38-year-old Luis Morales-Vega and 26-year-old Randy Smith Jr. were both killed in when a pickup truck lost control on FM 2767 and struck three pedestrians gathered near a disabled car.
The preliminary crash report stated that at around 8:40 a.m., Morales-Vega, Smith, and 18-year-old Justin Vaughan were standing near a Nissan Altima, which had broken down.
Ashley McGill, 30, was traveling westbound in a pickup truck at an “unsafe speed for the wet road conditions” when she lost control of her vehicle while attempting to navigate a turn. The pickup truck then struck Morales-Vega and Smith on the south side of FM 2767.
Morales-Vega and Smith were both pronounced dead at the scene; Vaughan was reportedly not injured in the crash.
Authorities stated that McGill was transported to Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler for treatment of injuries.
This accident remains under investigation.
Commentary
Authorities reported that this accident was the result of unsafe driving speed when road conditions were wet. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), in 2014, rural areas experienced 11,935 rain-related accidents (2,052 of those accidents resulted in injuries or death). We would like to advise drivers to alter driving habits when roadway conditions are not ideal. This may require you to slow down and check twice for accidents that have already occurred due to the weather. Additionally, be mindful of the type of vehicle you’re driving. Larger vehicles such as SUVs and pickup trucks handle differently and may react in an undesired manner when roads are wet.
