Fatal Crash At Kilgore

Thursday night at 11:56, Troopers responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash at the intersection of FM-349 and US-259 Business in Kilgore. Reportedly, the driver of a 2004 Nissan Altima, Gabriel Coronado, 17, of Longview, was traveling west on FM-349 and disregarded a red light at the intersection of US-259. The vehicle struck the towed trailer of a 2011 Peterbilt truck-tractor that was traveling south on US-259 Business. Michael James Wright, 49, Hallettsville, was driving the truck. Judge Robbie Cox pronounced the driver of the Altima at the scene. A front-seat passenger in the Nissan, Braden Jones, 17, of Kilgore, was transported to Good Shepard Medical Center-Kilgore, where he later died. They took both deceased to Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore. They took two additional passengers, a 16-year-old male, and a 17-year-old female to Good Shepard Medical Center-Kilgore with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the Peterbilt was not injured.

Before the crash, Troopers had attempted to stop the Nissan for a traffic violation traveling westbound on IH-20. For an undetermined reason, the driver of the vehicle chose to evaded officers and exited the interstate on FM-2087 and continued south to FM-349 then west before crashing at the intersection of FM-349 and US-259 Business. The crash remains under investigation.