BROWN COUNTY, TX (December 4, 2025) — A Coleman teenager died Monday after a distracted truck driver rear-ended the vehicle she was riding in on US Highway 67. Texas Department of Public Safety identified the victim as 17-year-old Samantha Nell Johnson.
Accident Details: According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a preliminary investigation determined that at 11:57 a.m., both vehicles—a 2019 Freightliner Sprint truck and a 1996 Ford Escort—were traveling northbound on US 67, with the Freightliner following the Ford Escort in the same lane.
TxDPS stated that the investigation revealed the driver of the Freightliner Sprint truck was distracted by a cell phone mounted in the vehicle, which led to a collision with the Ford Escort. Following the collision, the Ford Escort traveled through a wire fence and came to rest in a pasture.
The Freightliner Sprint truck had one occupant, the driver, a 23-year-old male from Blue Mound, Texas, who refused treatment on scene but had minor injuries.
The Ford Escort had three occupants. The driver, a 64-year-old female from Coleman, Texas, and the front passenger, a 66-year-old female from Coleman, Texas, both had serious bodily injuries and were transported to Hendrick-Brownwood. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
TxDPS described the road conditions as cloudy with drizzle, and the road conditions were wet, level and straight.
Investigation: The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating the crash. Charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.
Legal Considerations: Rear-end collisions caused by distracted driving constitute clear negligence under Texas law. The distracted truck driver violated their duty to maintain proper following distance and attention to the road.
The force required to push a vehicle through a wire fence and into a pasture demonstrates the severity of the impact. The 23-year-old driver’s failure to notice the vehicle ahead and slow or stop indicates he was severely distracted, not just momentarily glancing at his phone.
Johnson’s death at age 17 represents a life cut tragically short. She will never graduate high school, attend college, start a career, or form a family. Her parents lose their daughter, and her friends lose a companion during formative years.
The two other occupants’ serious injuries compound the tragedy. One crash caused by momentary distraction resulted in one death and two serious injuries, affecting multiple families.
Texas law allows wrongful death claims against drivers whose distracted driving causes fatal crashes. These claims seek compensation for funeral expenses, Johnson’s pain and suffering before death, and the incalculable loss her family will experience for the remainder of their lives.
Pending criminal charges reflect the seriousness with which Texas treats distracted driving that results in death. The driver faces both criminal prosecution and civil liability for his choices that day.
Our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Samantha Nell Johnson as they mourn this preventable tragedy.
Source: Concho Valley Homepage