Tuesday, June 18, 2013 - 4:04pm
UPDATE: Officials identify driver who killed 2-year old in weekend Hwy 69 crash
Facebook
19 Comments
POSTED: Tuesday, May 1, 2012 - 11:15am
UPDATED: Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 10:18am
Tyler, TX (KETK) — May 1, 2012: The driver of the vehicle that killed 2-year old Sydney Jane Farris in Saturday's Highway 69 wreck near Bullard has been identified as Jorge Cordero-Valera of Bullard. He has been arrested and is in the Smith County Jail on charges of intoxicated manslaughter. Six other charges of intoxicated assault are pending against him. His bond has been set at $100,000.
Cordera-Varela's vehicle was traveling south in the northbound lane when it slammed into a 2001 Honda Civic driven by Jansen Farris, 22, of Bullard. 2-year-old Sydney Farris was also in the vehicle. She died of her injuries. Jansen Farris is in good condition at a Tyler hospital. He is being treated for internal injuries and broken bones.
Cordera-Varela's truck went airborne due to its high rate of speed and came down on top of another truck, driven by Crystal Gilbert, 31, of Tyler. A 4-year-old, a 6-year-old, and an 11-year-old, as well as Bartillo Gonzales, were also in the vehicle. They were all treated for their injuries at a Tyler hospital.
3:21 p.m. April 30, 2012: The 2-year old killed in Saturday's Highway 69 wreck near Bullard has been identified as Sydney Jane Farris.
Farris' father is in critical condition.
UPDATE: April, 29, 2012: Smith County DPS officials confirm one 2 year old girl has died from her injuries. Her father remains in critical condition at this time. No other new details have been released on the wreck at this time. Stay tuned to KETK for the latest on this investigation.
Officials tell KETK there are seven total injuries, three are considered serious.
Bullard Fire officials say that two people were airlifted, three inh ambulances.
Bullard also tells KETK that a two year old and the father are in critical condition.
Officials say that the wreck was caused by the black truck traveling South in the Northbound lane, colliding with the other two vehicles.
It is not confirmed, but officials believe alcohol to be involved.
Smith County DPs tells KETK there are several wrecks on the Northbound Lane of Highway 69, starting around County Road 152, just North of Bullard.
Officials could not confirm injuries at this time, but that this section of 69 has been shutdown.
KETK has a crew heading toward the scene.
Comments News Comments
I hope my comment posts after it is CENCORED! Yes peope CENSORED. A public forum is being censored. My God!
OH ! SORRY! SILLY ME! THE NEWS DID NOT REPORT HE IS ILLEGAL ~ WELL HE IS! THEY JUST DON'T MENTION IT! WHY? THEY WOULD BE CALLED RACIST, INSENSITIVE,ETC.? WAKE UP PEOPLE!
My 9year old daughter was in a car accident April 29,2012 and the woman driving was my sister in law she was drunk. She had no right taking my daughter anywhere with her, i went to jail because i couldnt control my emotions and its sad that all they charged her with was DWI, my baby could have lost her life she deserves justice.
BORDER PATROL... Do other countries have strict BORDER CONTROL? Um .. YES THEY DO... BUILD A DANG WALL IF NEED BE. Give some jobs to Americans to patrol it. My God people! THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INSODENT. ARE YOU READY TO HAVE YOUR OVED ONES KILLED AND GOD KNOWS WHAT? So he was drinking? LETS START FROM THE BEGINNING... HE SHOULD NOT BE IN THIS COUNTRY! Has he done this before? HOW WOULD WE KNOW HE HAS NO RECORDS! DOES HE HAVE A LICENSE? COME ON AMERICA WAKE UP!
BORDER PATROL... Do other countries have strict BORDER CONTROL? Um .. YES THEY DO... BUILD A DANG WALL IF NEED BE. Give some jobs to Americans to patrol it. My God people! THIS IS NOT AN
LonghornLawyer May 1, 2012
at 4:50pm
When all the dust settles (which will never fully happen) for this family that has lost a precious child the harsh reality of how we value people will set in. Criminally, we all want to see justice in action for the bad actor. Yes, if he was intoxicated, he will be charged and more than likely get jail time. However, that will not pay medical bills or any counseling. The State of TX requires only $30,000 in minimum insurance limits for this death, that's if he even has insurance.
When you are drunk and driving very fast, it wouldn't matter how the road is marked. This guy should have never been on the road if the first place, no matter what. Now several families have been devastated, and a 22 month old child is dead. There is no excuse for that, if you don't know the area all the more reason to slow down. Why would anyone make excuses for a drunk driver speeding and killing a child? You can tell by the pictures the guy had to be driving at an extremely high rate of speed
Howard May 1, 2012
at 2:21pm
If a driver is drunk or texting it doesn't matter how well the highway is marked. These drivers won't heed the markings anyway. This guy needs to be jailed for life for killing this precious child.
only $100,000?? WHY? Are those charges and that bond really the max he could receive in Texas?
I don't understand who is in charge of these roads? We also have a dangerous situation in the Noonday area at the CR 2661 & Big Eddy intersection. There have been multiple accidents, resulting in serious injuries and fatalities, mostly because it's a dangerous and confusing intersection. When accidents happen over and over and nothing is done, maybe we should start holding some officials accountable!
Please help us make changes. Go to WWW.CarolynsStop.com and sign the petition for my dear friend I lost on March 30, 2011 due to this intersection.
I think you folks are over-reacting a bit. While I will agree the overpass in Bullard can be confusing, it had nothing to do with this wreck. It happened about a mile north of it. As far as Big Eddy and 2661 goes, there are blinking red and yellow lights. It's a four way intersection. I don't see anything confusing about that. People need to pay more attention when they're driving.
No, I happen to live behind the intersection and often hear the accidents. I am a nurse, so I have gone over to see if I can help. The persons involved are often from out of town and visiting The Villages. Several told me that the intersection is confusing. They are coming from the Villages and cannot see the yellow blinking light, so when someone at the crossroad stops to turn left, they assume the other light is red, also. So they pull out and wham! They are hit broadside at 50-60 MPH!
Until people stop taking driving for granted and realize they put themselves and everyone else on the road at risk of serious injury or death when they get behind the wheel, these wrecks will keep happening. I say wrecks, because most wrecks are not accidents. Someone either made a mistake in judgement, or wasn't paying attention.
Thank you for your concern for your fellow human beings, but that intersection is clearly marked with a yellow sign saying cross traffic does not stop. Also, there are no solid white lines on 2661 demarcating a stopping point. Just because people don't know roadway markings, are illiterate, or just don't pay enough attention doesn't make that intersection dangerous. People do.
It will be interesting to find out whether this driver is an illegal alien and whether he can read English??
You said one key word there. "Assume". I'm not saying accidents don't happen there. I'm saying people should pay more attention. They should never "assume" the light is red. They should make sure. There are much more dangerous intersections than that one...Bottom line, there are a lot of people out there with questionable driving abilities, and some of them pay the price for it...
you are so correct. The highway is not clearly marked. Anyone new to the area or unfamiliar with entering highway is at risk.
Bullard has been having a problem with car wrecks ever since they put that medium in the road...its not marked well at night and I can see how this has happened. Surely after this wreck they will start to question the safety of these mediums.
Post new Comment
ADVERTISMENT
Special Features
Special Reports
