July 22, 2016 - Sheriff's Department, Center Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety all responded to a reported bad wreck on State Highway 7 East of Center just past the Loop 500 intersection Friday mid-morning.
According to DPS State Trooper Keith Jones, a two-vehicle crash occurred at 9:30am on SH 7 East involving an 18-wheeler and a pickup truck on Friday, July 22, 2016. A white 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven by Robert Hughes, Jr., 76 of Center, was traveling east on SH 7 following behind a red 2005 Peterbilt truck-tractor pulling a 2012 trailer, owned by Durango Trucking. The driver of the truck-tractor was Ricky Wayne Burnaman, 62 of Etoile, and he was slowing to make a right turn into TxDOT parking lot. The truck-tractor crossed over the center lines to swing wide to make the turn when the Chevrolet pickup attempted to pass on the right on the shoulder and the truck-tractor turned into the pickup truck. The truck-tractor struck the driver's side causing distributed damage with its passenger side front.
Neither driver reported injuries. Hughes was cited for failed to pass on the right when safe. Law enforcement provided traffic control until the roadway was cleared.
