Two separate head-on collisions in Texas

Published by Dunk Law Firm

Published:

Two separate fatal collisions were reported in Grimes County, Texas, north of Bedias and near Shiro. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, four drivers died and four children sustained serious injuries in the two crashes.

The first collision occurred Saturday shortly after 6 a.m. on Highway 90 north of Bedias near Tanglewood Lane. Troopers reported that a black 2019 Ford F-150 entered the opposing lane and collided with a red 2019 Ford F-150. The driver of the black pickup died after the vehicle caught fire and has not been publicly identified. Ashley Richter, 34, of Bedias, who was driving the red pickup, also died. Her 6-year-old son was taken to a Houston hospital with serious injuries.

A second crash was reported Monday at about 7:30 a.m. on FM 2620 north of Highway 30 near Shiro. Investigators said Katie Harper, 41, of Bedias, was driving a Nissan Armada when it entered oncoming traffic and collided with a Chevrolet Silverado. Harper and the Silverado driver, Gilbert Urbano Jr., 49, of San Antonio, died. Three boys, ages 9, 11, and 14, in the Armada were transported to a Houston hospital with serious injuries. Keith Hilton, 28, a passenger in the Silverado, was taken to an area hospital in serious condition. DPS is actively investigating both crashes.

What Makes This Incident Different

These reports concern two separate head-on collisions occurring within a little more than a day of each other and about 15 miles apart. Each crash involved fatalities, and each also involved seriously injured children. The reported circumstances require that the facts of each collision be evaluated independently rather than treating them as one event.

The first report involves two Ford F-150 pickups and a fire after impact. The second involves a Nissan Armada and a Chevrolet Silverado, along with injuries to passengers in both vehicles. Those differences may affect what physical evidence, medical information, and investigative records are relevant to each family.

Questions Investigators May Examine

DPS is investigating both crashes. Investigators may examine what led each vehicle to enter the opposing lane, including the available physical evidence and statements from surviving occupants or witnesses, if any. The evidence will determine what occurred before each impact.

For the Highway 90 crash, investigators may examine the collision scene, the condition of the two pickups, and information related to the reported vehicle fire. For the FM 2620 crash, records may help clarify the movements of the Nissan Armada and Chevrolet Silverado before the collision.

Investigators may also examine whether crash-scene measurements, photographs, vehicle data, emergency-response records, and medical records provide a clearer timeline. These are investigative questions, not conclusions about fault or legal responsibility.

Evidence That May Need to Be Preserved

Families affected by a fatal or serious-injury collision may wish to act promptly to protect information before it is lost or changed. Depending on the circumstances, potentially important materials may include:

  • DPS crash reports, supplemental reports, and investigative findings;
  • photographs, measurements, diagrams, and physical evidence from the crash locations;
  • the involved vehicles and any available vehicle-data information;
  • towing, storage, repair, or inspection records related to the vehicles;
  • emergency dispatch, fire-response, ambulance, and hospital records;
  • medical documentation concerning the reported serious injuries;
  • available witness contact information and statements; and
  • any available video or photographs depicting either collision or the surrounding area.

Preservation should be handled carefully. A family should not alter, repair, dispose of, or authorize destruction of a vehicle or other potentially important evidence without understanding the possible consequences.

What Families Should Know

After a fatal collision, Texas law may allow certain surviving family members to bring a wrongful-death claim. A separate survival claim may also be available in some circumstances for losses experienced by the person who died before death. Who may bring a claim and what damages may be available depend on the family relationship and the facts of the case.

Texas generally applies a two-year filing deadline to wrongful-death and personal-injury claims, though exceptions can affect a particular situation. The passage of time can also make it harder to obtain records, preserve vehicles, or locate witnesses. Families dealing with serious injuries to children may have additional questions about medical care, insurance communications, and how any claim is handled on a minor's behalf.

Insurance representatives may seek statements or offer early payments before the full medical and financial consequences are known. Families can ask questions, request documentation, and obtain legal advice before signing releases or making decisions that could affect their rights.

How Dunk Law Firm Can Help

Dunk Law Firm can help families affected by fatal and serious-injury head-on collisions in Texas understand their options while DPS investigations remain ongoing. Our team can review the available reports, help pursue preservation of relevant vehicle and crash-scene evidence, and assess insurance issues connected to the losses reported in these Grimes County crashes.

A consultation can provide a focused opportunity to discuss the death of Ashley Richter, Katie Harper, Gilbert Urbano Jr., or the unidentified driver, as well as the serious injuries reported among the surviving children and Keith Hilton, without assuming the outcome of any investigation or claim.

This post is based on publicly available news reports and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice.