This 2010 Mazda 5 was a rental car out of St. Louis.
2 Men Hauling Large Amount of Marijuana Killed in High Speed Chase, NORTH POLK COUNTY, December 3, 2010 - Shortly after 8 pm on December 2, 2010, Sergeant Ray Stubbs and Officer Greg Bell (both with the Corrigan Police Department) stopped a north-bound gray 2010 Mazda 5 minivan for speeding. As the policemen spoke the driver Deandre Bradley, and passenger Lamont Williams (both 22, both from St. Louis, Missouri), they noticed that the young men were acting nervous and suspicious. Officers Stubbs and Bell prepared for a vehicle search when the driver took off. The officers gave chase and the high speed pursuit proceeded north on US-59 about 5 miles north of the Corrigan City Limits when, according to Corrigan Police Department, the rental car crossed through the grassy median to the other side of 59 and into the south bound lane where their car collided with the corner of a passing south-bound 18 wheeler's trailer. The collision totaled the car and killed Bradley and Williams apparently on impact. The driver of the 18 wheeler, Juan Cruz, 27, of Houston was physically okay, although his rig left 59 to the right and jack-knifed in the grass. DPS Troopers David Morris, Sergeant Nita Bowen, Corporal Sam Lattner, and Joe Wood were dispatched to the scene along with the Corrigan Volunteer Fire Department and Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office. All traffic on the south-bound side of 59 was blocked and later re-routed as the accident was being investigated and cleared. Justice of the Peace David Johnson pronounced Deandre Bradley and Lamont Williams dead at the scene at 9:31 pm. Both men were transported to Corrigan Funeral Home. A rollback wrecker from Riley Wrecker Service recovered the car and Riley's also recovered the 18 wheeler. Both vehicles will be stored in Corrigan. The road was blocked for several hours for recovery services.
Special thank you: Brian Cox, James Riley, Ken with Ken's Towing
WARNING: The images below are images from a violent accident. If this offends you, DO NOT scroll down this page.
The 18 wheeler was hauling pipes and jack-knifed into the grass on the right side of the south-bound lanes of US-59.
4 large zip lock bags stuffed with marijuana was pulled from the wrecked car.
Sergeant Nita Bowen with the Texas Highway Patrol assisted in the investigation of the dual fatality accident (also pictured are Trooper David Morris (left) and Officer Greg Bell with Corrigan PD).
Corrigan Police Chief, James Riley.
Judge David Johnson (right) performed and inquest at the scene (Trooper David Morris is pictured at left).
After the rig was straightened out, the corner of the trailer where the car impacted was revealed with remnants of the car still visible. Part of the car's windshield is hanging from the trailer (the damage to the cab occurred during the jack-knife).
The car's engine was lying in the middle of the south-bound lanes a short distance from the car.
Workers from the Texas Department of Transportation were summoned to help re-route traffic.
A first-call car from Corrigan Funeral Home recovered both victims.
The minivan was recovered by Riley Wrecker Service out of Corrigan.
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