Firefighters syphon fuel from a semi-tractor following a fatal two-vehicle accident in May 2016 on North Northeast Loop 323 north of Erwin Street in Tyler.

A recent study by the University of Texas at Tyler found unintentional injury to be the fourth leading cause of death in Northeast Texas. Additionally, for at least fifteen years unintentional injury mortality rates in Northeast Texas have exceeded those for Texas and the United States.

The top leading cause of unintentional injury: motor vehicle crashes. According to the study, the motor vehicle crash mortality rate was an astonishing 77% higher in Northeast Texas than in Texas overall in 2019.

Last week in Tyler, one intoxicated manslaughter motor vehicle accident caused the death of a Tyler Legacy High School senior. It was later revealed Jason Charles, the Tyler man who was charged with intoxicated manslaughter, had six cocktails before the collision that killed Lilly Thornburgh. The accident happened at around 11:50 p.m. on a Friday.

A second grim accident involving alcohol near Longview killed a 5-month-old boy and a 2-year-old boy, both children to the driver, Mercedes D. Cole, 24, of Longview. Hayden Matthew Malone, 21, of Tyler, is being charged with four counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle and two counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle. The accident happened at around 4:30 p.m. on a Thursday.

In Palestine, a man is accused of striking and killing 41-year-old Kandy Sexton, of Palestine. Colby Gholston, 30, of Palestine, who police say left the scene after the wreck, was later charged with driving while intoxicated and intoxicated manslaughter.

Sexton’s sister, Jennifer Mills, flew in from Springfield, Illinois to attend Sexton’s funeral Tuesday. She described her as a very happy person who stayed positive through every situation and would do anything for anybody.

Sexton and Mills were adopted by two different families across the country from each other, Mills said. Mills began writing to her when she was around nine or 10 and the two finally met when they were 12. Mills’ family drove from Illinois to Texas and the sisters “instantly connected, like 12 years were never wasted” Mills said.

She said Tuesday that it had been a few months since they connected, something she regrets, Mills said. She found out about Sexton’s death Sunday morning when she woke up to the phone call.

“It’s the worst nightmare you could possibly … a living nightmare,” Mills said.

On recent drunk driving incidents going on in the area, Mills shared her thoughts.

“I’m angry. Just because you want to go out and have fun, that’s fine and dandy, but there’s other options besides driving home while you’re intoxicated. Your life, somebody else’s life, a stranger’s life, you put everybody in danger by driving home and it doesn’t just affect you,” Mills said, referring to everyone who attended her sister’s funeral.

Mills said the family is “lost” and “broken.” She said it had been a while since they had all united, and discussed amongst themselves that death should not have been the reason to reunite. As the family grieves, they plan to spend more time together in reunions and talking more often.

“This incident affected more lives than just your little one night of going out and having a drink,” she said. She added she didn’t want to say anything publicly, but that someone needed to say something, even if it means it saves just one life.

Mills said Sexton leaves behind a legacy that has taught her to persevere, even through the worst situations.

The Tyler Police Department shared data on drunk driving incidents in Tyler specifically.

In 2019, there was one intoxicated assault and one intoxicated manslaughter in Tyler. In 2020, there were two arrests for intoxicated assault and one intoxicated manslaughter. Compared to 2021, there were three intoxicated assaults and one intoxicated manslaughter. In 2022 so far, there have been no intoxicated assaults and one intoxicated manslaughter, said Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh.

For driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrests, in 2021 there were 317 arrests in Tyler and the police department worked 25 DWI accidents. In the three intoxicated assaults and one intoxicated manslaughter that occurred in 2021, those arrests were included in the 25 DWI arrests reported in 2021.

Gregg County data was obtained from the Texas Department of Transportation Crash Records Information System Query, which revealed that in 2019 there were nine crashes involving driving under the influence of drugs and driving while intoxicated. In 2020, that number decreased by one, totaling eight crashes involving driving under the influence of drugs and driving while intoxicated. In 2021, total crashes involving driving under the influence of drugs and driving while intoxicated increased to 12 and in 2022 so far, there have been no reported crashes involving driving under the influence of drugs and driving while intoxicated.

Erbaugh said the police department hasn’t made any changes as there hasn’t been a big jump of numbers to change something, he said, but on a regular basis, police officers are trained to spot and investigate an arrest for DWI.

He added the police department also uses grants on major holidays to get more officers on the streets during heavily-traveled holidays, targeting data-driven approaches to where the department sees more accidents, including major Tyler intersections, such as Broadway Avenue and Loop 323, Troup Hwy and Loop 323, Loop 323 from Troup to Old Jacksonville Hwy, South Broadway Ave and on Old Jacksonville Hwy. He said the department works those intersections to help stop DWI-related crashes.

“We always know the root of the problem is the choices people make when they drink or take drugs and get behind the wheel,” said Erbaugh. He said there needed to be more awareness in the community about consequences to actions when people choose to get behind the wheel.

Since he joined the police department in 1997, Erbaugh said the department is up to 202 police officers as the city of Tyler grows. He said the police chief continues to add officers annually to keep up with population growth.

The Texas Department of Transportation released data Tuesday that showed the near-record total of 176 fatal crashes and 196 deaths in the Tyler District are attributed to several contributing factors, from highest percentage to lowest, being failure to drive in a single lane, unsafe speed, pedestrian failed to yield right of way to vehicle, wrong side, or not passing, and failed to control speed.

The Tyler District, which includes Anderson, Cherokee, Gregg, Henderson, Rusk, Smith, Van Zandt and Wood Counties, also provided a vehicle traffic crash overview, in which there were 33 DUI-related fatalities in 2021. The figure is 14 fewer than in 2020. While some numbers dropped or stayed the same from the previous year, some factors including “unrestrained occupants”, “pedestrian fatalities” and “distracted driver” fatalities rose sharply in 2021.

To avoid traffic accidents that could result in death, Erbaugh said locals need to understand the area is getting bigger and traffic is getting worse. He said planning to leave earlier, obeying speed limits, and avoiding running red lights are key to practice safe driving.

Of regular accidents, the main one seen are drivers not paying attention and running into the person in front of them. He also recommends not using a cell phone while driving.

Sergeant Jean Dark with the Department of Public Safety, said in increase in traffic volume, driver responsibility and obeying traffic laws are often contributing factors in an increase in fatal motor vehicle accidents.

Dark added that what they often see are people who are not paying attention to what is going on around them for any reason, such as a distraction in or around the vehicle, and not being aware of potential road hazards or construction zones ahead. She advised reducing speed when encountering inclement weather such as ice or rain.

“(DWI crashes) is always something that the department is very aware of and works to attempt to reduce the number of traffic crashes and fatalities, having high visibility patrols and also doing publics service announcements, going into schools and businesses and provide them with information regarding alcohol and the effects it has on a person’s ability to drive,” Dark said.