Wichita County, Texas (May 19, 2023) – The two people who died following a multi-vehicle crash early Sunday morning in Wichita County have been identified as Francisco Sanchez Sustaita, 45, and Rocio Rodriguez Hernandez, 43, both of Chillicothe.
The deadly crash happened at around 2:10 a.m. on Sunday, May 14, on U.S. Highway 287, about 0.5 miles west of Wichita Falls.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by Sustaita, was disabled in the northbound lanes after being involved in a separate crash. A 2001 Chevrolet Suburban, driven by John Michael Christopherson, 24, of Midlothian, pulled over to the shoulder to help Sustaita and the passenger of the Tahoe, now identified as Hernandez.
A truck tractor hauling a semi-trailer was heading northbound on U.S. 287 and approached the previous crash scene, where the Suburban was parked on the right shoulder and the Tahoe was disabled in the left lane.
The truck tractor driver saw the Suburban on the right shoulder and swerved into the left-hand lane to give space for the Suburban but failed to see the disabled Tahoe in the left-hand lane.
The truck tractor hit the Tahoe and then struck the suburban.
Sustaita and Hernandez were ejected from the vehicle upon the impact. They were pronounced dead at the scene at around 2:12 a.m.
Christopherson was taken to United Regional with incapacitating injuries. The driver of the truck tractor, Rodney Mitchell Cary, 68, of Irving, and the passenger of the truck tractor, John Evan Poore, 59, of Holliday, were both transported to United Regional with incapacitating injuries.
DPS said rain and the lack of visibility played a role in the crash, which remains under investigation.