[01-12-2022] Smith County, TX – One Person Killed, Three Others Injured in Two-Vehicle Crash Involving Child Sex Offender on Highway 31

An East Texas child sex offender was arrested after a deadly wreck that killed one man and seriously injured three others near Tyler late Wednesday night, January 12, 2022.

The fatal two-vehicle crash happened at 11:45 p.m. on Highway 31. Gary N., 40, was charged with intoxicated manslaughter.

According to a Texas Department of Public Safety report, the 40-year-old man was driving a 2008 Cadillac CTS about 13 miles east of Tyler.

According to the report, a 1997 GMC Jimmy had broken down on the highway, and two men in the car were attempting to push it away. Ashley W., 22 years old, was the Jimmy’s driver. Haley W., 23, Devin H., 24, and Jace T., 22, were among the passengers. They were all Overton residents.

According to the report, the 24 and 22-year-old victims were pushing the car when the accused crashed into them.
Hardee was taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition, while Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 22 and 23-year-old victims were both airlifted to hospitals in Tyler in critical condition. After being treated, Nichols was arrested on the spot.

Nichols has a long criminal history in East Texas, including being a registered sex offender following an arrest in Rusk County. In 2015, he was sentenced to two years in prison for Indecency with a Child by Exposure.

He’s been arrested several times in Gregg County, including in 2004 when he pleaded guilty to assaulting a family member. Nichols was given a one-year prison sentence as well as 18 months of probation. After being re-arrested, his probation was revoked, and he was sentenced to another 300 days in prison.

Nichols was charged with intoxicated manslaughter on Wednesday night, as well as failing to re-register as a sex offender, which is a yearly requirement.

He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of intoxicated manslaughter.

Fatal Two-Vehicle Crash Statistics

Traffic-related deaths and injuries have been on the rise in the United States for some time. Figures released by the National Safety Council show that more than 38,000 people died as a result of car accidents in 2010. (NSC).

Driving-related injuries and fatalities are common in Texas. In Texas, one person is killed, and another is injured in a car accident every hour and twenty-one minutes.

For every 100 million miles driven, there were 1,50 deaths as a result of traffic accidents on Texas’ highways. Compared to the previous year, this represents an 18.94 percent increase.

Texas is seeing an increase in the number of people killed or injured in car accidents. There was a 7.54 percent increase in deaths in 2020 when 3,623 people passed away.

In 2020, car accidents caused the death or serious injury of 14,000 Texans.

Smith County Car Accident Lawyer for Victims of Fatal Two-Vehicle Crash

Every year, car accidents injure or kill approximately 4.5 million people in the United States. People who have lost a loved one in a car accident may have a hard time accepting what has happened to them.

Your legal options may be better understood after a tragic accident with the assistance of an attorney. Car accident victims should be aware of their legal rights and compensation options in order to avoid being taken advantage of by their insurers. Your best bet is to get an attorney involved in a similar situation.

Our Smith County car accident lawyers at Arash Law Texas have successfully recovered compensation on behalf of clients who have been injured in car accidents. There is no case too big or too small for our legal team, and we are prepared to give our clients the best possible legal representation.

You should consult with an attorney as soon as possible to make sure that your legal rights are not compromised in any way. Call (888) 398-4017 to speak with one of our attorneys or fill out our intake form to get started.