NEW BOSTON, Texas - A sharp curve on a DeKalb area county road, which led to the a deaths of three young women last year, became a focal point at the Bowie County Commissioners Court on Monday.
Amy Pope and Susan Jackson, two of the three moms, who lost their daughters in a car accident back in November, spoke to Commissioners about the need to make County Road 3302 safer so as to avoid further fatalities.
"I'm the mother one of those girls (Katie Jo Vaughn)" Pope told court members. "I heard that many calls were made to the Commissioner's office (following the accident) and a barrier was eventually put up later, but by that time, it was too late. Now I see that a new guardrail and other equipment is needed for the road's improvement, but it's on back-order."
The accident happened on a foggy night. After the driver lost control, the vehicle rolled over after striking something concrete before it slid into a creek. There, it became submerged.
Sarah Jackson, mother of Megan Daniel, one of the crash victims, told Commissioners that she's heard that at least one of them feels like he is being unjustly attacked for working on road access to a gun range instead of trying to fix the sharp curve on County Road 3302.
"Why did a gun range have to come before the lives our girls?" Jackson asked.
Following both Pope's and Jackson's comments, as well as public comments from other meeting attendees, Bowie County Judge Bobby Howell said that neither he nor any of the commissioners could comment on the matter because of pending litigation.
In other business, Court members accepted on behalf of the Bowie County Sheriff's Office, two donations.
Robert Young Brown donated $100 and Gayle and Curtis Lengefeld donated another $100 as a "thank you" for deputies responding to a recent vehicle-trailer fire that involved horses being rescued from risk of potential injury.
Commissioners also approved a proclamation for District Clerk Jill Harrington, who is retiring after four years of serving as district clerk and 39 years as a deputy clerk.
Attorney Carol Dalby, who also is retiring, was recognized for providing legal advise to the Commissioners Court for 27 years.
"It's been a real privilege and it's been very fulfilling and I have had a great time," Dalby said. "I appreciated the challenges you had for me."