Teen Killed, Konnor Taylor Injured in Truck Accident on SH 103 in Lufkin, TX
Lufkin, TX — January 4, 2023, a 15-year-old died and 20-year-old Konnor Taylor was injured in a crash with a tractor-trailer on Texas 103 in Lufkin.
Authorities say the incident happened around 8:45 p.m. at Highway 103 and Crain Avenue. Preliminary investigation suggests a Kenworth semi-truck was northbound on Crain when the driver started to turn east onto the highway. He allegedly failed to yield to a westbound Chevy Colorado driven by Taylor and the trucks collided in the roadway.
The Chevy's teen passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. Taylor was taken to an area hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries and the Kenworth driver was unhurt.
The investigation continues. No further information is currently available.
As is true with any serious truck accident, there must obviously be further careful investigation to be sure the whole story is learned and all the important details are brought to light. Furthermore, if it's true that the truck driver failed to yield to approaching traffic as investigators suggested then clear facts and evidence would be important to ensure that act is met with consequences.
In my experience it's exceptionally rare for a big rig to cross into traffic without its driver doing something wrong. The mistakes in question can vary; I've seen things like distraction, intoxication, fatigue, poor or neglected truck maintenance, a lack of experience and training, and even overloaded or poorly-secured cargo keep a big rig from stopping where and when it should. Having said that, it's still possible that something unusual and wholly out of the driver's control caused the truck's failure to yield.
That's why I often highlight wrecks like this which people sometimes regard as pretty straightforward. Rarely is that actually true, and any accident benefits from careful and thorough investigation so there's no confusion or dispute about what happened. At the very least the clear facts can help answer a grieving family's many lingering questions about their loss. Helping them find some closure is always the most important thing.
