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Updated September 21, 2003 0:40 AM
Texas 6 wreck kills 1
By ETHAN BUTTERFIELD
Eagle Staff Writer
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Special to The Eagle/Bill Meeks
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Passers-by inspect the truck Saturday that rear-ended a Dodge Stratus on North Earl Rudder Freeway. The accident killed a passenger in the Dodge whose husband had stopped to render aid to another motorist who had run off the road. The couple’s infant daughter, who also was in the parked Dodge, suffered minor injuries.
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A Houston woman whose husband stopped their car along North Earl Rudder Freeway to help at an accident died Saturday when an oncoming pickup rear-ended their parked vehicle.
Dominique Mathews, 29, was in the passenger seat of the parked Dodge Stratus when it was struck from behind by a Chevrolet Silverado. Her husband had stopped outside the left-hand northbound lane after another car went off the highway and struck a tree near Briarcrest Drive.
Mathews was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph Regional Health Center, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Police said they believe she was wearing a seat belt.
Her 7-month-old daughter, Elena Mathews, was in a restrained seat in the back of the car and was taken to St. Joseph for observation. The infant was in good condition Saturday night, hospital spokesman Tim Ottinger said.
Mathews’ husband, whose name was not released by police, was away from the car when it was struck and was not injured.
Police said the man stopped to check on the driver of a southbound Mazda 626 that had just gone across the northbound lanes and struck a tree in the median. Moments later, a northbound Silverado in the right lane drifted across the left lane and struck the parked car.
“The guy apparently was watching the accident to the right, floated over to the left and collided with the Stratus,” Bryan Police Sgt. Raymond Montoya said.
Jimmy Lee Ward, the driver of the Silverado, was issued a citation for failure to maintain a single lane. Police said they had no reason to believe that his ability to operate a motor vehicle was impaired.
Ward, age unknown, was taken to St. Joseph for treatment and released.
Brison Lemont Daily, 19, the driver of the Mazda, also was treated at St. Joseph for minor injuries and released.
• Ethan Butterfield’s e-mail address is ebutterfield@theeagle.com.
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