September 15, 2016 - Thanks to a Louisiana couple traveling down US 84 outside of Tenaha, 911 was alerted to a single-vehicle crash involving a mother and her 2-year-old child Thursday, September 15, 2016, 4 tenths of a mile west of Ramah Church.
According to Department of Public Safety (DPS) State Trooper Austin Lunsford, a blue Chevrolet Cobalt LT was traveling east on US Highway 84 and failed to drive in a single lane. The car ran off the roadway to the right striking a culvert and became airborne where it flipped a couple of times before coming to rest upside down hidden in a wooded area.
The driver of the car, Kelly Diedrich, 26 of Tenaha, was able to exit the vehicle along with her son and make their way through the underbrush to the highway where a couple traveling on US 84 pulled over to assist them. Both were transported to East Texas Medical Center (ETMC) in Carthage by ACE EMS. The child appeared to be unharmed at the scene but was transported with the mother who had visible minor injuries.
Diedrich was very thankful of the Louisiana couple who stopped and rendered aid along with another woman who also stopped. Both assisted with caring for the toddler during the emergency situation.
Tenaha City Marshal Jimmy Wagstaff assisted the wrecker who was in need of a chainsaw in order to remove the vehicle along with Tenaha Volunteer Fireman Matt Barton. DPS State Trooper Jesse Fountain and Sergeant Robert Shugart also arrived on scene.
