Carson County, TX — December 18, 2024, Daylee Overton, Emma Phoenix, a teenager, and one other were killed in a wrong-way accident at 5:00 p.m. on U.S. 60.
Initial details about the accident say that it happened along westbound lanes of U.S. 60, just west of Panhandle.
According to officials, 20-year-old Daylee Overton, 19-year-old Emma Phoenix, and a 17-year-old were in a Ford Fusion going westbound on the highway. A Jeep Compass driven by an 81-year-old was apparently on the wrong side of the road going eastbound. As a result, the vehicles collided head-on.
Overton, Phoenix, the teenager in the Ford, and the driver of the Jeep all were killed in the accident. Right now, there are no confirmed factors surrounding the crash. Investigations are going.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Wrong-way crashes naturally raise all kinds of red flags, though it stands out to me that this crash happened a bit earlier than these kinds of accidents tend to happen. To be rather blunt, wrong-way crashes usually involve intoxicated drivers who were out drinking at a bar or restaurant and became disoriented on their way back. That generally makes these crashes more common late at night or early in the morning. That said, alcohol is still the most likely factor in any wrong-way crash. As such, investigators should be working to find out if alcohol was a factor here, how much the driver was served, and whether or not there’s an alcohol provider responsible for unlawfully serving someone to the point they got on the wrong side of the road got people killed.
Keeping that in mind, the relatively early time of the crash serves as a reminder that there could always be extenuating circumstances to consider. For example, signage or lighting in this area may be insufficient. Construction may have diverted traffic in a confusing way. The wrong-way driver may have been experienced medical issues. It’s understandable that people want to know what went wrong after an accident like this, but that doesn’t have to mean aimlessly looking for someone to blame. There are families who deserve answers. If those answers suggest there is someone who needs to be held accountable, there are legal avenues for that. But at the end of the day, whatever path lies ahead, it has to begin with clear evidence.
call us 
Email Us 
Text us