Two Buddhist monks taking part in a “Walk for Peace” from Fort Worth to Houston, and on to Washington, D.C., were injured Wednesday evening, Nov. 19, when a vehicle struck the group’s pilot car, pushing it into the monks as they walked along U.S. 90.
The crash occurred around 6:15 p.m. Nov. 19 near SH-99, a time when visibility was limited, according to Dayton Police Chief Shane Burleigh.
Burleigh said a white pickup collided with the pilot car escorting the group of approximately 20 monks. The impact forced the pilot car forward and into two of the monks. One monk was taken by ground ambulance to a Houston-area trauma center, while the other was flown by air ambulance. Burleigh said that their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
Burleigh said investigators have not yet been able to identify the injured monks, explaining that the group has been difficult to gather detailed information from because of communication barriers.
The drivers of both vehicles involved were not seriously injured.
The crash remains under investigation, though Burleigh said early indications suggest driver inattention may have been a factor. The monks were walking east toward Dayton as part of their multi-day peace journey when the collision occurred.
You cannot walk “east” towards Houston from Dayton🤔