In Kaufman County, Texas, a two-vehicle collision was reported Saturday morning on U.S. 80 at the exit lane to FM 460. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Highway Patrol responded at about 4:25 a.m., according to a DPS release cited in news reports. DPS identified the vehicles as an Infiniti QX3 and a Chevrolet Silverado. The Silverado’s driver, Juana Berenice Chavez Ojeda, 39, of Forney, was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. An 8-month-old was also transported to a hospital with suspected serious injuries. DPS reported that Jaylin Maliq Chestnut, 25, of Converse, and two passengers were not injured. According to DPS’s preliminary investigation, the Infiniti was eastbound in the FM 460 exit lane when it made an unsafe left lane change and struck the eastbound Silverado in the right lane. DPS said the Silverado hit a concrete barrier, rolled over, and came to rest on its roof, while the Infiniti continued east before striking a concrete barrier. DPS has said its investigation is ongoing, and the evidence will determine the full circumstances of the crash. What Makes This Incident Different This report involves a collision near an exit lane followed by a rollover and barrier impacts. Those details can make an investigation more involved than a crash in which vehicles simply come to rest after an initial impact. The reported sequence includes vehicle movement across lanes, contact between the vehicles, and impacts with fixed concrete barriers. The reported fatality and the hospitalization of an 8-month-old also make it important that families receive accurate information without relying on early assumptions. A preliminary finding is not the final word on a crash. Investigators may gather additional physical evidence, examine records, and evaluate accounts before reaching conclusions. Questions Investigators May Examine Investigators may examine how each vehicle was positioned and moving as it approached the FM 460 exit lane. They may consider whether the available physical evidence, scene measurements, vehicle damage, and witness information clarify the reported lane-change sequence. They may also examine questions such as: - What do the vehicles’ final positions and damage patterns show about the collision sequence? - Can available electronic vehicle data help clarify speed, braking, steering, or other vehicle movements before impact? - What information do dispatch records, responding-officer observations, or witness accounts provide? - Did the barrier impacts and rollover occur in the sequence described in the preliminary report? These are investigation questions, not conclusions about legal responsibility. The evidence will determine what can be established. Evidence That May Need to Be Preserved After a serious collision, important information can disappear, be overwritten, or become harder to evaluate with time. Depending on the circumstances, evidence that may need prompt preservation includes: - Photographs, measurements, diagrams, and other documentation from the crash scene - The Infiniti QX3 and Chevrolet Silverado, including their damage and restraint systems - Electronic data that may be stored by either vehicle - Photos or video showing U.S. 80, the FM 460 exit lane, and the concrete barriers - Dispatch communications and records concerning the response - Witness contact information and recorded statements, if any exist - Medical and billing records for the injury-related claims at issue - Funeral, burial, and other documented losses associated with a death A family should not alter, discard, or authorize the disposal of evidence they control without first understanding whether it could matter to an investigation or claim. What Families Should Know The death of a family member and a serious injury to a child can create immediate medical, financial, and emotional pressures. In Texas, a wrongful-death claim may be available to certain surviving family members when another party’s legally actionable conduct caused a death. A separate survival claim may allow an estate to pursue certain claims that belonged to the person who died. Which claims are available depends on the facts and the family’s legal circumstances. Insurance communications may begin quickly, but families do not have to make major decisions before they understand the reported facts and their options. It can be useful to keep copies of medical records, invoices, insurance letters, funeral-related documentation, and notes of conversations. Texas claims are subject to deadlines, often including a two-year limitations period, but exceptions and claim-specific rules can affect the timeline. Prompt legal guidance can help preserve options without promising a particular result. How Dunk Law Can Help Dunk Law can speak with families affected by serious Texas vehicle collisions involving a fatality, suspected serious injuries, a rollover, or disputed questions about how a crash occurred. Our team can review the available reports, help seek preservation of relevant evidence, communicate with insurers, and explain potential wrongful-death, survival, and injury-claim options under Texas law. If your family was affected by the Kaufman County crash reported on U.S. 80, Dunk Law can provide a focused, confidential case evaluation based on the facts available in your situation. Related Dunk Law Resources - All practice areas This post is based on publicly available news reports and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice.