William Thompson Killed in Auto Accident on Rancier Ave in Killeen, TX
Killeen, TX — May 2, 2022, 37-year-old William Jimmie Thompson died in a traffic accident on Rancier Avenue in Bell County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 11:05 p.m. on Rancier at Roy Reynolds Drive. Preliminary investigation suggests Thompson was driving a Hyundai Elantra north on Roy Reynolds, allegedly at high speeds, when investigators say he ran a red light at Rancier. After entering the intersection the Hyundai was hit on its passenger side by a westbound GMC Sierra pickup that had a green light.
Thompson suffered fatal injuries in the collision. Two people in the pickup received minor injuries.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on William Thompson Accident in Killeen
Preliminary reports seem to have a rough sketch of what happened here, but if I've learned anything over decades in this field it's that a once-over from police doesn't always account for the many contributing factors and important details of a collision. To quote a retired police officer of 25 years who recently contacted the firm, "It would make your head spin if you knew the amount of information and evidence that is initially unfound by the investigating officer in many cases of fatality collisions."
I'm not accusing Killeen investigators of botching the job after this accident, but saying someone just ran a red light without providing more details or context is a dangerous path toward blaming someone unfairly when a wreck might have been out of their hands. To be sure the truth is learned and the right parties (if any) are held responsible, maybe someone else with more time, training, and tools should revisit this matter and see if anything vital slipped through the cracks.
