Quick Facts:
Where: The accident occurred along State Highway 31 in Smith County, Texas.
What Happened: A vehicle allegedly struck a disabled car that was being pushed by two people.
Participants:
- Driver of disabled vehicle
- Passenger in disabled vehicle
- Jace Taylor, pedestrian pushing disabled vehicle
- Second pedestrian pushing disabled vehicle
- Gary Lynn Nichols, driver of second vehicle
Reported Injuries/Fatalities:
- Jace Taylor, 22, killed
- Driver of disabled vehicle, injured
- Passenger in disabled vehicle, injured
- Second pedestrian pushing disabled vehicle, injured
Details:
On or about Wednesday, January 12th, 2022, around 11:45 at night, an accident between a disabled vehicle and an alleged drunk driver left a 22-year-old man dead and sent three other people to the hospital. Troopers from the Department of Public Safety said the accident was reported along State Highway 31 in Smith County, Texas.
Investigators from the DPS said 22-year-old Jace Taylor was killed and three other people were injured when a vehicle driven by Gary Lynn Nichols allegedly slammed into a disabled vehicle that was being pushed by two people and occupied by two others. Emergency responders pronounced Taylor dead a short time after the accident, while three other people were taken to the hospital with serious and critical injuries stemming from the accident.
Officials have since charged Gary Lynn Nichols with Intoxication Manslaughter in connection with the accident.
Authorities are still investigating the crash.