North Texas man faces manslaughter charges after crash kills 3, including 2 young children
A Rowlett man is facing manslaughter charges after being arrested in connection with a crash that killed three people, including two young kids, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
Rocky Patterson, 63, has been charged with three counts of manslaughter – a second-degree felony – for the deaths of Tommy Moorehead III, 41, and a 6-year-old and 4-year-old, whose names have not been released due to their ages.
According to DPS, the crash happened just before 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 17 in southern Grayson County, just north of Anna. DPS said a Dodge Ram 3500 Patterson was driving was trying to pass a truck while ascending a hill in a no-passing zone, on FM 3133, just west of Jim Cannon Road.
Patterson then struck a Silverado head-on, causing that vehicle to catch fire. All three occupants of the Silverado, Moorehead and the two children, were pronounced dead at the scene, DPS said.
The driver of the truck Patterson was trying to initially pass, a 74-year-old man from Anna, was also injured, and was treated at the scene.
Patterson was taken to a hospital in McKinney.
Officials said on May 18 that the Texas Highway Patrol obtained an arrest warrant for Patterson, and he was booked into the Grayson County jail.
DPS said the investigation is ongoing.
