IT’S NOT THE CRIME, IT’S THE COVER UP
Nearly three years after a fatal collision on U.S. Highway 59 that killed two Stephen F. Austin State University students, Texas Rangers have arrested the owner of a local trucking company on charges of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, stemming from the alleged concealment of a dash camera system following the crash.
Marlin Kendall Hughes, 53, of Corrigan, was arrested Wednesday alongside truck driver Antonio Sandoval Jr., both facing tampering with evidence charges in connection with the January 20, 2023, incident. The arrests mark a significant development in a case that has drawn scrutiny over the handling of potential evidence in the aftermath of the tragedy.
According to a complaint filed by Texas Ranger Joshua Benson on November 5, 2025, the crash occurred within Corrigan city limits when Sandoval, operating a truck-tractor semi-trailer for Hughes Trucking Company Inc., entered the main lanes of U.S. 59 and failed to yield the right of way. A passenger vehicle driven by 18-year-old Micah McAfoose of Houston struck the trailer, killing McAfoose on impact. Front-seat passenger Graylan Spring, 19, a former Vandergrift High School athlete, was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries.
The complaint details how, shortly after the crash, Hughes spoke with Sandoval by cell phone as the driver returned the vehicle to the company’s yard nearby. Hughes asked if the truck had a dash camera system, and upon confirmation, instructed Sandoval to remove it and bring it to him. Sandoval complied, and Hughes placed the device in a spare desk drawer in the office.
Hughes later admitted in interviews and depositions that he powered on the camera using an inverter about a week after the crash, but claimed he couldn’t locate any video due to unfamiliarity with the device. He returned the camera to Sandoval approximately a week later, without notifying law enforcement or attorneys involved in the case. Hughes acknowledged overhearing officers at the scene instruct Sandoval to “lock up” the truck for further inspection and admitted he believed additional investigations would follow, given his experience in the trucking industry.
The Corrigan Police Department was investigating Sandoval for criminally negligent homicide from January 20, 2023, until March 28, 2023, when a Polk County grand jury no-billed the charge. During that period, Sandoval did not disclose the dash camera’s existence to detectives, later claiming in a deposition that he distrusted law enforcement.
Further complicating matters, email correspondence reviewed by investigators shows that on February 7, 2023, attorneys for the Spring family inquired about a dash camera to Hughes and Sandoval’s attorney, Marcy Rothman. Rothman responded that she was unaware of any such system. On February 10, 2023, she reiterated that no dash cam or video had been located. Rothman later confirmed to investigators that her statements were based on conversations with Hughes and Sandoval after the crash.
The dash camera’s existence came to light on February 13, 2023, when plaintiffs’ attorneys shared images from a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper’s body-worn camera, showing an operational dash cam mounted on the truck’s windshield during a post-crash commercial vehicle inspection. Rothman then arranged for a forensic technician, Lance Sloves, to retrieve the device from Sandoval. Sloves reported finding no data on the SD card, despite the camera appearing active in the body camera footage.
In depositions, Hughes maintained he did not tamper with the camera or its contents, such as wiping the SD card, and claimed he removed it to preserve it. However, he could not explain why he failed to notify authorities or attorneys about it, even during a February 7, 2023, truck inspection at the company yard, where the camera was stored in a nearby office desk. Hughes also confirmed he was the sole decision-maker regarding the camera, as the company owner, and that no one else, including safety employee Jackie Boggs, was informed of its existence.
Hughes denied that Rothman instructed him to conceal or destroy evidence and stated he had no conversations with Sandoval about the camera beyond the initial exchange. He acknowledged that dash cameras are used in other company trucks via a cloud-based system, indicating familiarity with their purpose in documenting driver behavior and incidents.
The tampering charge against Hughes, a third-degree felony under Texas Penal Code 37.09, alleges he concealed the dash camera and/or SD card knowing an investigation was pending, with intent to impair its availability as evidence.
Polk County District Attorney Shelly Bush Sitton confirmed her office is reviewing the case. “I don’t have any information on the case yet,” she said. “I’ve talked to the Rangers. They’re bringing it in. We’ll be sitting down and going through it with them and making a determination of how to proceed.”
Both Hughes and Sandoval were released on bond Thursday morning.
For the victims’ families, the arrests represent a step toward closure amid prolonged grief. Krista Spring, Graylan’s mother, expressed gratitude but emphasized the need for full accountability. “Honestly, we haven’t even given our time to mourn the death of our son because we went from the death to the injustice immediately,” she said. “We’re thankful for the arrests made; that’s just one step in the right direction. Praise the Texas Rangers for their investigation.”
The real twist in the story is, Shelly Bush Sitton is the current District Attorney in Polk County. She took office just 3 weeks before the crash. According to the victims’ families, several things have since been discovered. Her paralegal had been in a romantic relationship with Hughes. They feel the case of the fatal crash part was not presented to the Grand Jury properly, which resulted in the no-bill on Sandoval. Normally, a case in Polk County takes months to be presented, not weeks. Now the fear is that all the fantastic investigation done by Ranger Benson may go to waste, as the statute of limitations on the tampering charge expires just two months from now. They fear it will not be presented in a timely manner; therefore, the pair will not be held accountable. In most cases like this, a District Attorney will recuse themselves and have a District Attorney from another county handle the case.
Graylan Spring’s legacy endures through organ donation and the Graylan Spring Foundation, which supports student athletes. The case, numbered 2025-0039700, continues under review as families seek resolution in the wake of the tragedy.
THE DRIVER SANDOVAL HAD SEVERAL VIOLATIONS IN THE PAST:
DISPLAY EXPIRED LICENSE PLATES
OVER 34,000 TANDEM AXLE
OPER VEHICLE WITHOUT LICENSE PLATES
NO SEAT BELT
SPEEDING
DEFECTIVE BRAKES
SPEEDING EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 10%
FAILURE TO YIELD RIGHT OF WAY AT SIGN
NON INJURY CRASH
