Former Head of Aledo Schools Dies in Collision; Cable Barrier Fails

A shoulder and a cable barrier divided the east and west flowing traffic lanes. Mr. Daniel's pickup truck had to cross over the steel cables to enter the oncoming traffic lane.

14 Year-Old Passenger Also Killed in Multi-Vehicle Accident

The city of Aledo is mourning the loss of its former District Superintendent and a teen who were tragically killed on Wednesday in a multi-vehicle wreck. The crash occurred on Interstate 20 near the exit for Farm-to-Market Road 1187. 68 year-old Don Daniel and his 14-year-old passenger, Hunter Corzine, were travelling westbound in a black Nissan pickup truck when the truck suddenly veered into the oncoming eastbound lane and hit a Chevrolet Suburban head-on. The Nissan then struck an 18-wheeler and the Suburban was rear-ended by a Buick. Police are still investigating what caused the cause of the collision.

The male driver of the Suburban and the female driver of the Buick were rushed to the hospital. Fortunately, a four year-old who was a passenger in the Buick and the driver of the tractor-trailer were not injured.

Cable Barrier Did Not Prevent Head-On Crash

A shoulder and a cable barrier divided the east and west flowing traffic lanes. Mr. Daniel’s pickup truck had to cross over the steel cables to enter the oncoming traffic lane.

Installing cable barriers was an important component of the Texas Department of Transportation’s $1.2 billion safety initiatives program. Cable barriers are designed to prevent accidents and lesson severity when an accident occurs. Typically, when a vehicle hits the steel cables, they flex to absorb the kinetic energy of the crash and to deflect the vehicle toward the median. In theory, the cable barriers should have prevented the pickup truck from crossing into head-on traffic and softened the impact to the occupants of the wrecked car.

Victim Dedicated to Education

Don Daniel had selflessly dedicated his career to education. He began his career as a teacher and coach at Brewer High School in Fort Worth. He served as assistant principal of Crowley High School for two years, then as principal for four years. Mr. Daniel served as Crowley ISD assistant superintendent from 1980 to 1999, followed by his position as Aledo ISD superintendent for 12 years from 1999 to 2011. He also took over as Cleburne’s interim superintendent.

Berenson Law Firm Advocates for Accident Victims

Berenson Law Firm conducts a thorough investigation to determine the cause of crashes and analyzes the best way to recover our client’s damages. If you have sustained injuries in a collision, call our Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury law firm for a free consultation.

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