DPS Investigates SH7 West, FM 711 Two-vehicle Crash

March 1, 2023 - State Highway 7 (SH7) West at the intersection of FM 711 was the scene of a major two-vehicle crash Tuesday, February 28, 2023.

Emergency personnel with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department, West Shelby County Volunteer Fire Department and Center Fire Department were dispatched to the scene to assist those involved in the crash, and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) State Troopers in carrying out their investigation.

Fire department personnel helped extricate the driver and passenger of a blue impala from the vehicle so emergency medical services personnel could move them to an ambulance for transport.

According to Texas DPS State Trooper Tim Grace, at 6:40pm a blue 2005 Chevrolet Impala driven by Justin Wayne Gibbs, 34, of Center was westbound and was beginning to turn left onto FM 711. At that time a silver 2015 Chevrolet Impala driven by Esther Yanes, 27, of Nacogdoches was also westbound in the same lane behind the blue Impala and failed to control speed striking the blue Impala in the rear.

Gibbs and his passenger Sarah Gibbs, 36, were transported by ambulance to a hospital in Nacogdoches for treatment of their injuries.

Yanes was injured but refused treatment at the scene and was not transported by ambulance. She chose to transport by private vehicle the hospital.

A citation for failure to control speed was issued to Yanes.

Additional details are not available at this time, this crash incident remains under investigation.