A holiday trip that began with joy ended in devastating tragedy for four friends, whose lives were cut short in a catastrophic collision with a heavy goods vehicle in the United States. The families of the victims are now pursuing legal action, alleging negligence led to the fatal crash.
A Tragic End to a Friends' Getaway
Lakeshia Brown, 19, Myunique Johnson, 20, Taylor White, 27, and Breanna Brantley, 30, were all killed on the afternoon of November 5 on US Highway 87 in the Texas Panhandle. The group was returning home from a girls' trip to Colorado when their journey ended in disaster.
According to a police report, their black Nissan Altima, driven by Johnson, was struck from behind by a large truck. The impact sent the car flying into the median, leaving it completely crushed. The 18-wheeler, driven by Guadalupe Daniel Villarreal, 39, also flipped onto its side and hit the median.
Investigations revealed that Johnson was driving at a slow speed at the time of the collision because her vehicle had suffered a flat tyre. Chilling dashcam footage from another motorist shows the car moving slowly along the wide, flat road moments before the massive truck barrels into it without appearing to slow down or change lane.
Families Seek Answers and Accountability
All four women were pronounced dead at the scene. Villarreal, who according to a newly filed lawsuit was allegedly distracted by his mobile phone, sustained injuries and was taken to hospital.
On December 23, the grieving families initiated a $1 million lawsuit against the popular grocery chain H-E-B, its subsidiary Parkway Transport, Inc., the driver Villarreal, and Scrappy Trucking, LLC. The legal action alleges negligence in the deaths of the four friends.
Keith Bakker, a partner at NMW Law Firm which represents the families of Taylor White and Myunique Johnson, stated the lawsuit is a way for the heartbroken loved ones to 'get to the bottom of what happened'. 'First and foremost, our hearts go out to the families. There are four beautiful girls who are no longer with us, it really is a damn shame,' Bakker told reporters. 'What's even more heartbreaking is that they were coming back from a girls' trip... They were all friends.'
Legal Focus on Driver Responsibility and Road Conditions
The legal team has emphasised the conditions at the crash site, just south of Dalhart, describing it as an area with exceptionally flat terrain and clear visibility. 'It wasn't hilly, there weren't obstructions to the view, and unfortunately that tractor trailer just violently impacted the back of our client's vehicle,' Bakker explained.
Nick Wills, owner of the firm, highlighted the significant vantage point afforded to HGV drivers. 'When you're driving an 18-wheeler on flat land, you can see much further ahead of you... You can see from the video, you don't even see it try to get out of the lane... This just shouldn't have happened.'
The lawyers also pointed to the dashcam video, which shows another car spotting the slow-moving Nissan and safely moving around it, arguing this demonstrated the crash was avoidable. Bakker stressed that HGV drivers are held to a higher standard under federal regulations, and a flat tyre on the car ahead 'doesn't excuse' the collision.
The NMW Law Firm stated it has not yet received a response from H-E-B, Parkway Transport, Villarreal, or Scrappy Trucking regarding the lawsuit. For now, the legal teams are focused on a thorough investigation. 'We're... trying to get to the bottom of this, and holding whichever parties need to be accountable, accountable,' Bakker said. 'The truth will eventually come out.'
When contacted for comment, an H-E-B spokesperson said: 'Our H-E-B Family is devastated by this tragic accident... The incident involved a third-party vendor driver, not an H-E-B Partner. H-E-B and the contractor are fully cooperating with the investigation.'
