Vernon, Texas – Texas Highway Patrol Troopers are actively investigating two separate car accidents that occurred on Saturday. The first collision unfolded in Wilbarger County on US 287 southbound near Oklaunion involving three vehicles. Two individuals have tragically lost their lives, while seven others sustained injuries, as confirmed by Sgt. Juan Gutierrez of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Initial findings suggest that a Honda Odyssey, with a driver and one passenger, was heading southwest on US 287. Simultaneously, a GMC Yukon with a driver and four passengers was traveling southeast on the same route. The Honda Pilot, driven by a third party carrying a passenger, was also part of the scene. Tragically, the driver of the Honda Odyssey lost control on a curved section of the road, crossing the cable barrier and median, resulting in a head-on collision with the GMC Yukon. The Honda Pilot attempted to avoid the crash but was ultimately involved in a collision with the GMC Yukon. Consequently, US 287 had to be closed for several they have several hours for traffic diversion.
The driver of the Honda Odyssey, identified as Than Than Shwe, a 43-year-old woman from Vernon, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene due to injuries sustained in the crash. Another fatality from the incident was a 9-year-old girl from Dallas, Texas, who was a passenger in the GMC Yukon. Unfortunately, she was pronounced dead after being taken to Wilbarger General Hospital.
The second accident occurred in Montague County on US 81 just south of Stoneburg and involved a single vehicle. As of now, there has been no confirmation of any fatalities in this incident. The Texas Highway Patrol is continuing its investigations into both crashes to determine the causes and factors leading to these tragic events.