A Mississippi man was killed around 5:25 a.m. Thursday morning in a fiery three-vehicle crash about 10 miles south of the Liberty city limits on FM 563.
According to Sgt. Rob Willoughby, supervisor for the Liberty County office of Texas Department of Public Safety, Aaron Bernard Lowe, 32, of Jayess, Mississippi, was traveling northbound in a 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander. For an unknown reason, his vehicle drifted into the southbound lane of travel, striking a 2004 GMC Sierra driven by Thomas Dingler, 57, of Dayton.
The Outlander came to rest in the ditch on the west side of the roadway. A third vehicle – a 2016 Ford F-350 Dually driven by Brian Fenton, 52, of Daisetta, was following the Sierra pickup.
Willoughby said Fenton tried to avoid the crash and drove into the ditch, striking the Outlander for a second time.
Vehicles involved in the crash erupted in flames after the collision. Dingler and Fenton were both transported to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Beaumont with non-incapacitating injuries. Lowe perished at the scene.
Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Stephen Hebert conducted at inquest at the scene and ordered an autopsy.
The crash scene caused the roadway to be closed for a few hours. Willoughby said Hazmat cleared the scene around 9:36 a.m.
Troopers William Koen and Nathaniel Godfrey are investigating the crash.
UPDATE:
A Go Fund Me account has been established for Thomas Dingler. If you wish to contribute, here is the link: