Dallas County, TX — June 22, 2024, Verna Nixon was injured due to a hit-and-run car accident shortly before 10:45 a.m. along Lancaster Road.
According to authorities, 63-year-old Verna Nixon was traveling in a southbound Ford Fusion on Lancaster Road at the Plaza Boulevard/Wheatland Road intersection when the accident took place.
Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, a westbound Toyota Sequoia attempted a left turn to head south from Plaza Boulevard onto Lancaster Road at an apparently unsafe time, failing to yield the right-of-way at at stop sign. A collision consequently occurred between the front-end of the Fusion and the right side of the Sequoia.
The person who had been behind the wheel of the Sequoia allegedly fled the scene, abandoning the Toyota. Nixon reportedly suffered serious injuries over the course of the accident; she was transported to a local medical facility by EMS in order to receive necessary treatment. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When a driver causes a collision and then flees the scene, it raises the stakes for everyone involved—especially when someone ends up seriously hurt. But the hit-and-run shouldn’t distract from the need to understand how the crash actually happened.
Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?
A left turn into oncoming traffic is rarely just a momentary lapse. Investigators should have measured sight lines, looked at how far away the Fusion was when the Sequoia pulled out, and determined whether either vehicle braked or swerved before impact. Scene reconstruction can clarify those timelines. If that didn’t happen, then important context may already be lost, especially since the driver who fled won’t be providing details.
Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?
It’s possible the Sequoia’s driver panicked and fled—but it’s also possible the vehicle itself had steering issues or a malfunctioning accelerator that contributed to the unsafe turn. On the other side, if the Fusion had delayed braking response or failed crash-mitigation systems, that could have made the impact worse. Mechanical inspections of both vehicles are essential to rule out those angles—particularly when the crash ends in a felony-level offense.
Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
The Fusion may hold key data in its crash recorder—things like speed, brake timing, and steering angle. If the Sequoia was newer, it might have recorded similar details even after being abandoned. Dash cams or nearby surveillance footage might also show the crash itself or the driver fleeing. Without this digital evidence, it becomes much harder to reconstruct how quickly things happened or what the drivers did—or didn’t do—leading up to impact.
A hit-and-run may change the legal consequences, but it doesn’t excuse cutting corners in the investigation. Getting the full story still matters—for everyone involved.
Takeaways:
- Investigators should fully reconstruct the crash to determine if the turn could have been avoided.
- Mechanical issues may have played a role and must be ruled out through inspection.
- Vehicle data and possible footage can clarify the crash timeline and driver behavior.
call us 
Email Us 
Text us