Three people were injured in a two-vehicle collision near the Menard/Concho County line last Wednesday, October 26.
Menard County Sherriff’s office reports that a late model 4-door sedan was travelling northbound on US Highway 83. The driver was an 18-year-old female. There was one passenger, an 18-year-old male. Just north of Menard, Menard County Sheriff’s Deputy Charlie Wilson clocked the vehicle at speeds over 100 mph. Deputy Wilson dispatched to stop the speeder, and called ahead to Concho County.
Despite the law enforcement vehicle— lights on— trying to catch up, the driver continued at speeds over 100 mph. Just into Concho County, where US HWY 83 splits to 4 lanes separated by a median, the driver lost control of the vehicle. The excessive speed sent the sedan across the median into oncoming southbound traffic. The car collided with a tractor-trailer rig.
The 18-year-old female driver was airlifted from the scene. Both the passenger and truck driver suffered injuries and were taken by ambulance to area hospitals. The teenage occupants of the vehicle were conscious and told first responders they were both students at Texas Tech and were rushing to get to work in Lubbock that evening. It appears the driver did not realize she was being followed by Deputy Wilson.
In addition to Menard County Deputies, Menard Volunteer Fire Department, Concho County Sheriff’s Office, and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers responded to the wreck. The investigating agency is the DPS. As of press time, the DPS had not responded to request for comment.
The current condition of the 3 victims is unknown. According to Menard County S.O., the driver will likely be cited by DPS.