STORY COURTESY OF WILLIE OPENSHAW/POLKCOUNTYTODAY.COM
Three Vehicle Accident Turns Fatal, SAN JACINTO COUNTY, July 24, 2011 – At approximately 2:50 pm on July 24, 2011, a white 2009 Ford F-150 driven by Frankie Garrett, 38,of Spring, was west bound on US-190 approximately one mile from the Polk County Line (Onalaska Big Bridge). Garrett stopped and was waiting to make a left turn and was slammed from behind by a tan 2002 GMC Yukon driven by Walter Hugh Bennett, 73, of Huntsville. The impact pushed Garrett’s vehicle to the left and off the road to the east-bound shoulder. Bennett’s vehicle then collided head on with an east-bound red 2008 Chevy Silverado driven by John Allen Howard, 59, of Pearland. All three vehicles came to rest on the grass to the right of the east-bound lane. Legacy EMS and other ambulances were dispatched to the scene along with volunteer firemen from Onalaska, Point Blank, Oakhurst and Waterwood. Additionally Troopers were dispatched including Corporal Chris Cain, Kevin Burman, Darwon Evans, and Sergeant David Gustafson (amongst other Troopers). Frankie Garrett was loaded onto an ambulance and rushed to Livingston Memorial Hospital with undisclosed injuries. Walter Bennett and John Howard were both flown to Hermann hospital in Houston. Bennett’s passenger, 69 year old Minnie Margaret was also rushed to Livingston Memorial where she was pronounced dead at 3:33 pm. A total of five accident victims were flown to Houston. All traffic on 190 was blocked during investigation and cleanup. Garrett’s vehicle Howard’s vehicle were towed by GW’s Wrecker Service and will be stored in Cold Spring while Bennett’s vehicle was recovered by East Texas Towing and will be stored in Shepherd. The scene was cleared by 5:10 pm. The accident remains under investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety …more
All three vehicles came to rest in the grass on the east-bound side of US-190.
A total of five victims were flown from the accident. One passenger was rushed to Livingston Memorial Hospital and died a short time later.
