Published: May 09, 2008 11:30 am            

Mother, son killed in wreck

By Cristin Ross

cross@jacksonvilleprogress.com

A Rusk 5-year-old and his mother were killed and four other Rusk residents were flown to hospitals in Shreveport, La., and Tyler Thursday morning after an auto collision on U.S. Highway 84 East, about two miles east of Blount’s Chapel.

Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Brenda Dominy pronounced Cherry Grimes dead at the scene of the crash at 8:09 a.m. Dominy pronounced Grimes’ son, Trevor Gage Lankford, dead at East Texas Medical Center-Rusk at 9:48 a.m. Daughter Lauren Lankford, 12, was flown by helicopter to LSU Hospital in Shreveport and was listed in critical condition.

Rusk residents Amanda Hernandez, Maggy Martin and Martin’s 9-year-old son, Aaron Martin, also were flown to a Tyler hospital. Martin’s other children — 7-month-old Corvin Martin, 7-year-old Tiffany Martin and 6-year-old Cassidy Martin — were all transported to the Rusk hospital via ambulance.

Rusk Fire Chief Donald Lankford — father of Trevor and Lauren — was first on the scene with the Rusk Volunteer Fire Department. Lankford traveled with his daughter to the Louisiana hospital Thursday morning.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Steven Crosby, Grimes was driving a 2006 Pontiac sedan east on U.S. Highway 84 about 7 a.m. Thursday when her tires dropped off the right side of the roadway.

“She over-corrected and crossed over (the highway) and off the other side of the road,” Crosby said. “When she tried to get back on the road again, she struck the Martins’ vehicle.”

The Martins and Hernandez were traveling west on the highway in a 2001 Chevrolet Yukon.

The SUV hit the rear driver’s side of the sedan head on. Rusk Fire Department responders used hydraulic extrication equipment to remove doors on both vehicles to get the crash victims out.

Area residents Larry and Betty Frazer were at the scene, but said they didn’t see the crash.

“There’s been two other wrecks in the exact place recently,” Larry Frazer said. “People just want to drive faster than the road’ll have it.”

Betty Frazer added, “Our prayers are with both of these families.”

Rusk Police Department, Stanley Wrecker and Isaacs Wreckers services responded to the incident. Emergency personnel shut down the highway in both directions for nearly four hours as they cleared the wreck.

        

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