Crash on I35 claims lives of 2 men from Fort Worth

An 18 wheeler driver from Oklahoma rear ended a Ford Explorer stopped for construction on I35 south of Gainesville on Sunday and killed Fort Worth residents Gervious Hinkle and his 13 year old grandson, Casey Hinkle and critically injured Casey’s mother and sister. My condolences and wishes for a speedy recovery go out to the victims of this senseless and preventable crash.

The wreck happened just one exit away from where a 30 year man, Robert Walters, was tragically killed 2 years ago as he was towing away a disabled 18 wheeler. I represented the family of Robert and although we achieved a favorable result in federal court in Marshall, he is missed every day by his family.

This is another glaring example of how many incompetent tractor-trailer drivers are allowed to drive on the highways of Texas.

Remember that a family of three from Frisco and a relative were among 10 people fatally injured June 26 in a pileup on Interstate 44 near Miami in far northeast Oklahoma. Killed were Randall Hayes, 38, and his 7-year-old son, Ethan. Hayes’ wife, Shelby Hayes, 35, died two days later at a hospital in Missouri. Her mother, Cynthia Olson, 55, of Crossroads in Denton County also died in the crash. A tractor-trailer slammed into cars that had stopped on the highway.

The latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that large trucks were involved in a staggering 4,808 fatal wrecks in 2007, with 405 of them in Texas.