A Bryan, Texas woman was killed last week when she lost control of her vehicle and ended up in the path of an on-coming 18-wheeler.

According to a story published on the Navasota Examiner’s website Nickie Lynn Pittman of Bryan, 38, was on her way to teach an English class at Montgomery College early Friday morning. Her car was cut in half by the impact and she was delcared dead at the scene.

Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper James Gonzales of Hempstead told Examiner reporters that Pittman was traveling eastbound on S.H. 105, when the 1997 Ford Escort she was driving veered slightly off the roadway and lost control of the vehicle for an unknown reason.

The Escort went into a sideways skid and ended up in the westbound lane, where it was struck on the right side by the oncoming W W Webber truck driven by Alfredo Carraman of Houston, 58. The car was cut in half as its back half was dragged underneath the one-ton that landed in a ditch on the north side of the roadway.

A June 26 wreck in northeastern Oklahoma is being investigated.  The crash killed 10 people.  Donald L. Creed, a truck driver, apparently caused the wreck because of inattention to the road.

Creed had driven for 10 hours straight before the crash, but he did not exceed the federal daily driving limit.  At the scene Creed “stated that vehicles had driven underneath him while he was parked” according to the report.  Creed had no visual obstructions for at least 2,400 feet before the accident.  The cars were stopped because of an earlier wreck.

The report stated that immediately following the wreck “Creed, although injured, was able to walk and negotiate turns and have no indications of having any visual problems.  He would turn his head and look at you when spoken to or when speaking.”

The inquiry found that there was no attempt to brake or take evasive action by Creed and there are no apparent problems with his brakes or steering.  There is “strong evidence” that Creed was using cruise control driving an 18-wheeler about 69.5 to 71 mph for about 4.5 minutes prior to the accident.

Creed has a clean driving record and had his commercial driver’s license renewed in April.  The company Creed drove for, Associated Wholesale Grocers, did not comment.  Unless Creed was driving under the influence, he will most likely face misdemeanor charges of negligent homicide, which carries up to one year of prison for each count according to a County District Attorney.

Four men were killed and a woman was seriously injured in a vehicle accident when an 18-wheeler hit a Honda Civic.  Now the survivor and the widows of the men are suing the driver and his employer.

Hemesto Escalante, 35 years old, was driving a truck and ran a stop sign.  He then collided with the Honda.  The car went under one of the trailers and the four men were killed instantly.  One woman, Concepcion Lopez, survived the crash, but lost her husband.

The plaintiffs are asking for unspecified damages including burial expenses and other punitive damages.  Escalante pleaded not guilty and is being held in a county jail.  Witnesses say that Escalante stopped after the accident and checked the car before driving away.  He faces four counts of vehicular manslaughter and a charge of leaving the scene of an accident.

The employer, Panella Trucking, could not be reached for comment.