A tragic incident occurred on Friday morning, April 26, 2024, as the Cleveland Police Department received a distressing call from a traveling motorist on SH 105 bypass indicating a major automobile accident involving a white Ford F-150 pick-up truck and a red Kenworth tractor-truck and trailer.
According to a witness at the scene, the F-150 was traveling east on the bypass when it seemingly attempted a U-turn in front of the eastbound tractor-truck.
The passenger of the F-150 was ejected from the vehicle and found lying in the main lanes of traffic. The driver of the F-150 was subsequently airlifted from the scene to a medical center in the Houston area.
John Eugene Wright, aged 69 and a resident of Cleveland, was pronounced deceased at the scene by Liberty County Justice of the Peace Pct. 6 Ralph Fuller.
Later in the afternoon, it was confirmed that the driver of the F-150, identified as Lee Howard Ethridge, aged 75 and also from Cleveland, had succumbed to his injuries from the crash.
“The driver of the tractor-truck was very upset, but appeared to be physically fine and was up walking around,” said Cleveland Police Chief Darrel Broussard.
“The Cleveland Police Department send our deepest sympathy and prayers to the families affected by this tragic accident,” he added.