Two people died following a collision on State Highway 36 near FM 1476 in Comanche County, Texas. The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the deceased SUV driver and passenger as 75-year-old Rickey Mariott and 75-year-old Bernadine Mariott, both of Evant. According to DPS, the crash happened at about 11:40 a.m. on September 4, 2026, and involved a southbound pickup truck and an SUV traveling in the opposite direction. The pickup driver suffered minor injuries. Rickey Mariott and Bernadine Mariott were pronounced dead at the scene. DPS provided preliminary information indicating that the pickup was attempting to pass a line of vehicles in a marked no-passing area before the two vehicles collided. The agency reported that both drivers moved onto the shoulder while trying to avoid impact and then returned to the roadway. Authorities' investigation and the available evidence will determine the full circumstances of the crash. What Makes This Incident Different Head-on crashes can be especially devastating because two vehicles traveling in opposite directions can meet with substantial combined force. Here, DPS reported that the collision occurred after the pickup entered a marked no-passing zone while attempting to pass multiple vehicles. The reported efforts by both drivers to move away from the approaching vehicles also make the sequence of events important. A serious crash investigation may need to distinguish the initial roadway movements from the actions taken in the final moments before impact. The fact that the collision occurred in the northbound lane, according to DPS, may be relevant to reconstructing that sequence, but it does not alone resolve every question. Questions Investigators May Examine Investigators may examine the roadway markings and traffic conditions at the location to clarify how the no-passing area was designated and visible at the time. They may also evaluate the positions and paths of the pickup, SUV, and vehicles in the line the pickup was reportedly attempting to pass. Questions may include: - Whether physical evidence can help establish each vehicle's movements before the collision; - Whether witness accounts can clarify the passing attempt and the drivers' attempts to avoid a crash; - Whether tire marks, vehicle damage, and final resting positions are consistent with the preliminary account; - Whether either vehicle's mechanical condition may be relevant; and - Whether available electronic data can assist in reconstructing speed, braking, steering, or other actions before impact. These are investigative questions, not conclusions. The evidence will determine what can be established about how this head-on collision occurred. Evidence That May Need to Be Preserved After a fatal collision, key material can be lost quickly as vehicles are moved, repaired, salvaged, or destroyed. Families and their representatives may consider taking timely steps to preserve information that could help clarify the events on State Highway 36. Potential evidence may include: - The pickup and SUV, including their damage patterns, tires, brakes, steering components, and restraint systems; - Photographs, measurements, diagrams, and reports prepared by responding agencies; - Photographs or video documenting the highway, shoulders, centerline, signage, and no-passing markings; - Vehicle event-data-recorder information, if available; - Cellphone records or other electronic information, when legally obtainable and relevant; - Statements and contact information from witnesses, including occupants of vehicles in the reported line of traffic; - Dispatch, emergency-response, and medical-examiner records that may be available; and - Records concerning any inspection, towing, storage, repair, or disposal of the involved vehicles. Preservation does not mean evidence proves any particular conclusion. It helps ensure that qualified investigators have an opportunity to review relevant information before it disappears. What Families Should Know The loss of Rickey Mariott and Bernadine Mariott may leave their family facing grief alongside urgent practical issues. In Texas, certain surviving family members may have the ability to pursue a wrongful-death claim when another person's death may have resulted from a wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, unskillfulness, or default. A separate survival claim may also be available through an estate in appropriate circumstances. Texas claims are subject to deadlines. Wrongful-death and survival actions commonly have a two-year limitations period, although the facts of a case can affect the time available. Waiting can also make it harder to preserve vehicles, electronic data, witness recollections, and roadway evidence. Insurance communications can begin soon after a crash. Families do not have to make major decisions before they understand the available evidence, the insurance issues involved, and the scope of their legal options. An attorney can explain the process, communicate with insurers, and evaluate a matter without promising a result. How Dunk Law Can Help Dunk Law represents Texas families dealing with fatal motor-vehicle crashes, including collisions involving alleged passing maneuvers and head-on impacts. Our team can help assess available reports, seek preservation of vehicles and electronic evidence, identify potential insurance coverage, and work with qualified experts when the facts call for further reconstruction. If your family lost someone in the Comanche County crash or another serious Texas roadway collision, Dunk Law can discuss the circumstances respectfully and explain possible next steps under Texas law. Related Dunk Law Resources - Wrongful death claims - Catastrophic injury claims - All practice areas This post is based on publicly available news reports and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice.