A holiday trip that began with joy ended in unspeakable tragedy for four friends as they travelled home through the Texas Panhandle. Lakeshia Brown, 19, Myunique Johnson, 20, Taylor White, 27, and Breanna Brantley, 30, all lost their lives in a devastating collision with a heavy goods vehicle on 5 November.
A Catastrophic Collision on Highway 87
The fatal incident occurred on US Highway 87, just south of Dalhart. According to a police report reviewed by the Daily Mail, the women were in a black Nissan Altima, which was being driven by Myunique Johnson. The car was moving slowly due to a flat tyre when it was struck from behind by an 18-wheeler.
The force of the impact, involving a truck contracted by the grocery chain H-E-B, sent the sedan flying into the median. The Nissan was left 'completely crushed', while the lorry, driven by 39-year-old Guadalupe Daniel Villarreal, flipped onto its side. All four women were pronounced dead at the scene. Villarreal, who allegedly was distracted by his mobile phone at the time, sustained injuries and was taken to hospital.
Families Seek Justice Through Legal Action
On 23 December, the grieving families of the victims initiated legal proceedings, filing a $1 million lawsuit. The claim targets H-E-B, its subsidiary Parkway Transport, Inc., the driver Villarreal, and Scrappy Trucking, LLC. The lawsuit alleges negligence contributed to the deaths.
Keith Bakker, a partner at NMW Law Firm representing the families of Taylor White and Myunique Johnson, stated the action is a way for the 'heartbroken loved ones to get to the bottom of what happened'. He expressed profound sorrow, noting the women were returning from a 'fun-filled girls' trip to Colorado'.
Dashcam Footage and Legal Arguments
Chilling dashcam footage from another vehicle on the wide, flat road shows the Nissan moving slowly before the massive truck 'came barreling down the pavement and slammed into it'. Lawyers for the families argue the geography of the crash site is crucial to the case.
'It wasn't hilly, there weren't obstructions to the view,' Bakker told the Daily Mail. 'Unfortunately that tractor trailer just violently impacted the back of our client's vehicle.' His colleague, Nick Wills, emphasised the superior vantage point of an HGV driver on such flat terrain, questioning why the truck did not attempt to avoid the slow-moving car.
The legal team contends that lorry drivers are held to a higher standard and that a flat tyre on the car 'doesn't excuse' the collision. An H-E-B spokesperson said the company was 'devastated by this tragic accident' and confirmed the driver was a third-party vendor, with H-E-B and the contractor fully cooperating with the investigation.
The law firm reports it has not yet received a response from the defendants. For now, the families and their legal representatives remain focused on their investigation, determined to uncover the truth and secure accountability for the loss of four young lives.
