2 dead after crash along U.S. 281 in Erath County
Two people were killed and another was seriously injured following a head-on crash southwest of Fort Worth on Saturday, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The crash happened along U.S. 281 in Erath County, about five miles north of Morgan Mill.
Troopers said 63-year-old Karen Huey was riding in a small SUV north on U.S. 281 when it failed to drive in a single lane, swerved and hit a sedan going in the opposite direction.
Multiple agencies responded to the accident, which also caused a grass fire and left the highway closed for several hours, according to the Morgan Mill Volunteer Fire Department.
Troopers said the woman in the SUV died at the scene of the crash. The driver of the sedan, Jaelen Green, 21, also did not survive the head-on collision.
The cause of the investigation is still under investigation and DPS troopers have not indicated if the woman was impaired or if she suffered a medical emergency.
Green's passenger and girlfriend, Nicole Doggett, 22, was rushed to a Fort Worth hospital with serious injuries but is expected to survive, according to close friends.
Aliya Hoover and Kai Ward said they learned something was terribly wrong after hearing about the accident from an emergency alert and trying to get in touch with the couple.
Doggett's phone was not in service, but a state trooper answered when they tried to call Green.
In an interview Wednesday with CBS News Texas, Aliya Hoover and Kai Ward said they believed Green died trying to shield Doggett from the impact.
"Nicole said Jaelen grabbed her leg really hard [and] he threw himself on her, and we think that's pretty much what saved her," said Hoover.
"He took care of her and he always promised he'd protect her and he did, until he couldn't anymore," she said.
The couple hopes to provide as much support as possible for Green's family and for Doggett, who is helping to raise a younger sibling.
Ward said Doggett was instrumental in helping him to get on his feet during a challenging period in his life, when he was homeless.
"That meant everything to me [and] I have to do whatever I can to help," he said.
"Nicole has brought so many good people into my life," added Hoover. "I feel like I owe it to her to make her story known."
Online fundraisers have been created to help with funeral expenses for Green and treatment and recovery efforts for Doggett.
