Published: September 17, 2009 08:59 pm      

Troopers work two fatal accidents Thursday morning

In separate incidents, two people were killed in vehicle accidents Thursday morning in Vidor.

About 8:20 a.m., Rachel Clark, 19, of Vidor, was headed off to work in her 2001 Pontiac Sunfire. She ran the stop sign at Oldbury Road and was turning onto Highway 105 when she struck by a tractor-trailer.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Danny Duke, of Vidor, was driving north on Highway 105 and attempted to put on his brakes and steer away from her vehicle. But, was unable to avoid hitting her vehicle, according to Trooper Richard Teague, of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Clark was pronounced dead at the scene by Precinct 2 Judge Derry Dunn. An autopsy was ordered. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.

Teague added, Clark was wearing her seatbelt and the air-bags did deploy. There was not any indication of alcohol being involved in the wreck, he said.

A short time later there was another fatal wreck.

About 10:30 a.m. first responders were called to the scene of the westbound service road of Interstate 10 near mile marker 855 in Rose City.

Harold Brennan, 65, of Vidor was on his way to a doctor’s appointment in Beaumont when he struck the back of a dump truck with his motorcycle.

The dump truck had come to a stop due to heavy traffic when Brennan struck the back causing him to die at the scene.

Precinct 2 Judge Derry Dunn arrived at the scene to pronounce him dead and order an autopsy.



Debby Schamber is a reporter for the Orange Leader. She can be reached at 409-883-3571 ext. 2609 or at dschamber@orangeleader.com.