A tragic incident occurred in Texas where six members of the same family, including two children, lost their lives.
The fatal accident took place when a 17-year-old pickup truck driver, allegedly in the wrong lane on a two-lane highway, collided head-on with their minivan, about 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth.
The family, returning from a post-Christmas visit to a wildlife safari park, suffered the devastating crash on U.S. 67.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) released details of the collision, reporting that the teenage driver of a Silverado pickup, heading south, entered the northbound lane, striking the family’s minivan. The DPS noted that the crash site was in a “no passing” zone.
UPDATE: At least six people were killed, and three more seriously injured, in a two-vehicle crash along US-67 near County Road 1119 in Johnson County on Tuesday evening, officials said. https://t.co/dYd3HKUWFP
— WFAA (@wfaa) December 27, 2023
The victims of the Tuesday evening crash, as identified by the DPS, were Rushil Barri (28), Nishidha Potabathula (9), Krithik Potabathula (10), Naveena Potabathula (36), Sitamahalakshmi Ponnada (60), and Nageswararao Ponnada (64). The DPS revealed that only two of the six family members were wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision.
Lokesh Potabathula (43), not wearing a seatbelt, survived the crash and was in critical condition, taken to a hospital. The driver of the pickup truck and his 17-year-old passenger were also hospitalized in critical condition.
The ongoing investigation has yet to determine if any charges will be filed.
Rushil Barri’s brother, Rakesh Barri, shared that the family had spent the day at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Safari Park and was on their way back to Irving, Texas, when the tragic accident occurred.
Rakesh Barri mentioned that Lokesh Potabathula’s in-laws, Sitamahalakshmi and Nageswararao Ponnada, were visiting from India, adding to the heartbreaking loss.
Rakesh Barri told WFAA, “It’s so hard to take,” calling his brother “my half.”
