Deadly collision happened at U.S. Highway 271 and Farm-to-Market 2015, authorities say
TYLER, TX, (September 14, 2024) - A Saturday night crash at an intersection in Tyler claimed the lives of two Louisiana residents and severely injured a juvenile, according to police.
Chelsea Askew, 39, was one of the two people who lost their lives in a motor vehicle collision Saturday night at a Smith County intersection, according to police.
One of the fatality victims has been identified as 39-year-old Chelsea Askew.
A preliminary investigation found that a pickup truck was traveling south on Farm-to-Market 2015 around 8:20 p.m. when the driver reportedly pulled out in front of a minivan going northeast on U.S. Highway 271. As a result, the vehicles collided, leaving the minivan's two occupants—a driver and a passenger—with fatal injuries.
Askew was a passenger in the minivan. An 11-year-old child riding in the backseat of the van was flown to a hospital in critical condition.
This is an ongoing investigation.
CRASH INVESTIGATION NEEDED
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), there were 33,654 fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States in 2018, in which 36,560 deaths occurred. This resulted in 11.2 deaths per 100,000 people and 1.13 deaths per 100 million miles traveled.
“Road conditions, visibility, and lighting are all possible contributing factors considered and examined,” said Candice Bond, an experienced attorney and Managing Partner with Bond Legal.
“An accident reconstruction team is sometimes needed to help piece together what happened. All of these resources are necessary for helping clients receive monetary compensation for damages or a loss following a collision,” said Bond.
WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM
Pending the investigation, the family of Chelsea Askew could pursue a wrongful death claim. Family members of wrongful death victims may seek damages for loss of companionship, pain and suffering, and emotional distress following a catastrophic accident such as this.
“The stress and sorrow can be extremely overwhelming after losing a loved one in an accident,” said Stefano Formica, of counsel at Bond Legal.
“A wrongful death lawyer will stay updated on the official investigation and help ensure that the victim's legal rights and best interests are protected.”
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(Candice Bond, Managing Partner, and Stefano Formica, Of Counsel, at Bond Legal, are the national legal analysts for Newsline. Newsline can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Bond Legal to help you, please call 866-985-6515 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).