Luna Reyes Killed in Truck Accident on US-84 near Shallowater, TX
Shallowater, TX — December 10, 2022, 28-year-old Luna Reyes died in a collision with a tractor-trailer on U.S. Highway 84 in Lubbock County.
Authorities say the incident happened shortly before12:30 a.m. along US-84 just outside Shallowater. Preliminary investigation suggests conditions were wet and foggy as Reyes drove a Ford F-150 pickup north on a private drive. At the US-84 intersection she started to turn right but allegedly failed to yield to thru-traffic. As it turned the Ford was hit by an eastbound Mack semi-truck with an attached tanker trailer.
Reyes, reportedly not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was unhurt.
The investigation continues. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Luna Reyes Accident near Shallowater
When it comes to a serious crash like this, I have some misgivings about how much careful investigation will really follow. That's not to suggest the authorities are bad at their jobs; it's just that they seem to have found a possible explanation in the victim's alleged failure to yield. Having decided that, law enforcement may not have much interest in looking further. Most accidents aren't quite so cut-and-dried, however, which is why independent experts are such valuable allies for getting people real answers--which are sometimes highly unexpected.
Not long ago, for example, I looked into a crash where police thought a man ran a stop sign and was fatally T-boned by an 18-wheeler. Further investigations revealed something highly unusual: State road crews actually removed the intersection's stop signs earlier that day while working in the area, then forgot to replace them at day's end. So how exactly did someone run a stop sign that wasn't there?
I'm not saying that happened in Lubbock County, only that authorities with a strict investigation "playbook" aren't always equipped to look for unusual details that could make all the difference. Things don't have to be more complicated than the news indicated, but don't the victim's loved ones at least deserve to know they have the whole story?
