August 11, 2015 - State Highway 87 south of Shelbyville was the scene of a two-vehicle crash Tuesday, August 11, 2015 involving a truck-tractor and a dump truck with one driver losing his life as a result.
The Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department and ACE EMS were dispatched to the scene of the crash located one mile south of FM 147 at 1:40pm. Several travelers who arrived immediately following the crash ran to the vehicles to help those involved.
Janet Ritter witnessed the truck-tractor involved in the crash, owned by MKO Trucking, as it left the roadway to the left. She brought her vehicle to a stop and hurried to help the driver. Jeremy Holloway, another traveler, went to the aid of the other driver who was pinned beneath the dump truck, owned by Shelby County. Larry Skinner also assisted Holloway and emergency personnel in providing aid for the dump truck driver.
Once fire personnel and EMS were on scene it was determined Jaws of Life was needed for the dump truck, as well as a tractor. The Center Fire Department was dispatched to the scene with Jaws of Life and James Raymond, a nearby neighbor, brought a tractor to help lift the dump truck from the driver.
EMS personnel worked with the driver of the truck-tractor and with the assistance of firemen with Jaws of Life were able to extricate the driver from the truck.
Both drivers were life-flighted from the scene. The driver of the truck-tractor was life-flighted by Life Air Rescue to LSU for treatment of his injuries. The driver of the dump truck was life-flighted by Flight For Life to Good Shepherd Hospital in Longview.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) investigation of the crash concludes Kenneth Edward Davis, 68, of Joaquin was traveling northbound in a red 2005 Kenworth truck-tractor on Highway 87 when the truck crossed the center stripe. At the time the Kenworth crossed the center stripe the 2005 Mack dump truck driven by Mark Allen Vaughn, 44, of Milam was traveling southbound and the vehicles collided. Davis was pronounced deceased at LSU Medical in Shreveport.
The crash was investigated by Texas DPS State Trooper Taylor Buster, assisted by DPS Trooper Cpl. Jimmy Faulkner.
