Two 17-year-olds killed in Kilgore crash involving 18-wheeler

By Dorothy Sedovic | January 17, 2020 at 9:58 AM CST - Updated January 17 at 11:56 AM

GREGG COUNTY, TEXAS (KLTV) - Two teenagers were killed in a crash involving an 18-wheeler on Thursday night.

Troopers responded to a fatal crash at about 11:56 p.m. at the intersection of FM 349 and U.S. 259 in Kilgore, according to the Department of Public Safety. Two teenagers, 17-year-old Gabriel Coronado, of Longview, and 17-year-old Braden Jones, of Kilgore, were killed in the crash.

DPS said their preliminary report indicates the driver of a 2004 Nissan Altima, identified as Coronado, was traveling west on FM 349 when he disregarded the red light at the intersection of US 259. In the intersection, the car struck a towed trailer of an 18-wheeler that was traveling south on US 259.

Coronado and Jones, who was the front-seat passenger of the Altima, were pronounced dead at the scene. Two other passengers, a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl, were taken to a Kilgore hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to DPS.

The driver of the 18-wheeler, identified as 49-year-old Michael James Wright, of Hallettsville, was not injured in the crash.

DPS reported troopers had attempted to stop the Nissan Altima on Interstate 20 for a traffic violation prior to the crash. However, for an unknown reason, Coronado allegedly chose to flee from the troopers and exited the interstate at FM 2087. They then continued south to FM 349 where they traveled west until crashing at the intersection, according to DPS.

DPS reported the crash remains under investigation.