Darreus Bryant Killed in Auto Accident on SH 349 in Martin County, TX
Martin County, TX — December 11, 2022, Darreus Bryant died in a three-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck on State Highway 349 in Martin County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 7:30 p.m. on Highway 349 near mile marker 298. Preliminary investigation suggests Bryant was driving a Nissan Altima north on the highway when he approached a Kenworth tractor-trailer that was stopped before turning into a nearby private drive. For unknown reasons, Bryant reportedly failed to control his speed and crashed into the back of the semi-trailer. His Nissan Altima was then hit by another northbound vehicle.
Bryant, 25, was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
No further information is available at this time.
This terrible incident is still something of a mystery. Investigators may say the victim rear-ended the stopped big rig, but so far they don't (or can't) really say why that occurred. Foggy conditions were later mentioned; was low visibility an issue? Was the stopped big rig hard to see after sundown in that fog? Were its lights on and bright? Were its reflectors clean and intact? Did the Nissan have any malfunctions or defects that affected its ability to stop? What else might have affected the events on Highway 349?
Obviously those possibilities must be addressed, or how can the matter be understood—by investigators, but also by the people who lost a loved one that evening? Making sure they have the whole story should be the main, perhaps the sole, focus of the investigation. It's quite possible they have many urgent lingering questions; I only hope that authorities managed to find more comprehensive answers and put their concerns to rest. In the end, that's what matters most.
