Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and firefighters working the scene of a fatal accident east of Tyler ended up in a fight with an alleged intoxicated man, which resulted in the man and one firefighter being injured.
The fatality occurred two miles east of Farm-to-Market Road 2908 on Texas Highway 31 East and claimed the life of 27-year-old Carrie Swain Harris of Kilgore.
DPS Trooper Robert Johnson said Ms. Harris was traveling east in her 2001 Ford Focus when she approached a vehicle stopped to make a left-hand turn into a private drive.
"She attempted to miss the parked vehicle and tried to make a passing maneuver and drove into the path of the Freightliner delivery truck," he said.
The driver of the delivery truck, a Tyler man, was not injured.
Ms. Harris' twisted vehicle rested in the yard of Joyce Johnson.
"I was turning in my driveway and she came up behind me really fast," she said. "I thought she was going to hit me, but my God she went right into the path of that truck. It sounded like an explosion when the truck hit her."
Mrs. Johnson said she and her grandson had been to the grocery store and were returning home when the accident occurred.
"That car went into the air and was spinning around like a twister had it. I'm shaken so bad I can hardly stand here," she said. "I still haven't taken my groceries out of the car yet."
Firefighters and state troopers were working the accident when they were notified of an erratic vehicle heading their way.
The blue Ford Ranger approached the area and a trooper told the man to turn off the vehicle, but the man tried to drive forward.
Trooper Barry Evans apprehended the man and placed him under arrest. When Evans went back to talk to the passenger he began fighting.
Firefighters quickly rushed to the aid of the trooper and helped subdue the man until he could be handcuffed.
The passenger and a Jackson-Heights firefighter were injured during the scuffle. Both were taken to local hospitals for treatment.
Officials said the driver would be charged with driving while intoxicated and the passenger was also facing charges.
Kenneth Dean covers police, fire, public safety organizations. He can be reached at 903.596.6353. e-mail: [email protected]
