Drunk driver crashes into house in White Settlement leaving teen dead, 2 injured
WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — A teenage girl is dead and her father is seriously hurt after a crash in White Settlement.
It happened around 6:15 p.m. in the 9300 block of Jason Court.
White Settlement Police tell us a pickup truck with an attached trailer was travelling at a high speed when it lost lost control, hit a fence, careened through one back yard, and slammed into the bedroom of a house next to that.
The pickup had two occupants at the time of the crash; the driver, identified as 63-year-old Donald Gruber, and a woman. Gruber was not injured, but the woman suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital.
Three were inside the house. Police said the person killed was a 18-year-old girl who attended Saginaw High School and whose mother is a teacher with Saginaw ISD. Her father was seriously injured and was transported to JPS.
An Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD spokesperson says they're working to support the family affected and are mobilizing crisis counselors to care for staff on campus tomorrow and for any students who want support. Students don't go back until August 15.
Officers said they smelled alcohol on the suspect. The female passenger reportedly made statements to investigators indicating the driver had been drinking earlier.
White Settlement Police Chief Chris Cook said a suspect has been arrested for intoxication manslaughter and is being taken to the hospital for a blood alcohol test. They will file a case with the DA's office after that test is complete.
Police described the truck as a Ford F150 and said the driver was going so far over the speed limit that the distance between the fence they initially hit was a block away from the house.
EMS ISD has since released the following statement:
"Our school community is in shock with the news of this tragedy and our hearts grieve with the Kirkland family. The loss of any life is a tragic situation, especially when the loss is a classmate or a peer.
Our district crisis counselors have already begun providing support to the family, and they are available to provide care and support for staff members who are on campus for professional development this week. Counselors also are available for any student. We are here to support our EMS ISD community in any way we can during this time of grief and healing."