Lufkin PD Releases Timeline of Events Prior to Fatal Accident

The Lufkin Police Department has issued a statement regarding the tragic two-vehicle accident that took place early Saturday morning and resulted in the deaths of three individuals.

Lufkin PD has requested that the Texas Department of Public Safety perform a reconstruction of the crash that led to the deaths of Anastasia Gray, 19, of Carthage, Xzavien Grimble, 20, of Jasper, and Antownique Robertson, 18, of Carthage. Two others who were critically injured in the accident – Radaysha Jackson, 18, of Kirbyville, and Reilly Brown, 19, of Carthage – remain hospitalized in Tyler, both in stable condition. The driver, Tyler Lewis, 17, and another passenger, Omorian Lewis, 17, both of Jasper, were both treated and released from a local hospital.

The injured and deceased were among seven people inside a white 2006 Honda Accord when the crash occurred at 12:02 a.m. Saturday in the 3300 block of South First Street. According to motorists who witnessed the crash, Lewis, 17, made a “sudden, dramatic” lane change left into the path of a 2022 Ford Bronco driven by Michael Allman, 24, of Lufkin. The lane change occurred just before a crossover in front of Ralph & Kacoos and Cotton Patch.

Due to the sudden lane change, Allman was unable to avoid the collision, the witnesses said. Most of the impact appeared to be to the Honda’s rear with the car suffering extensive structural damage. Both vehicles spun into the median following the impact. The Bronco also struck a light pole.

No one in the Honda was wearing a seatbelt. Lewis remained in the front seat on impact, while the other passengers came to rest in the back seat. The Lufkin Fire Department had to extricate everyone from the car.

Allman was not physically injured in the crash though his vehicle also suffered extensive damage. He was wearing a seat belt.

Lewis was taken into custody on three counts of intoxicated manslaughter with a vehicle. The Department is awaiting toxicology results from a blood draw performed at the hospital following the accident. Those results will likely take 6-8 weeks.

Lewis was released from the Angelina County Jail Monday on a collective $150,000 bond.

At 10:29 p.m. Friday, December 16, officers were called to a disturbance at Motel 6 in Lufkin involving a black Firebird and a black SUV. The involved vehicles were no longer on the scene when officers arrived at the motel.

Motel management told officers that they believed a group staying in one of the rooms may have been connected to the disturbance and requested that officers have the group leave the premises.

Officers contacted those individuals – all of whom were adults – and stood by while they vacated the room. Several of those individuals left the motel with a female driver in a white Honda Accord later determined to be Reilly Brown who was a passenger in the crash.

Approximately an hour and a half later, Brown’s Honda was involved in the multiple-fatality crash with Lewis driving.

Officers were informed by Lewis and other witnesses that after leaving Motel 6, the group attempted to go to a hotel near the crash site after another local hotel would not rent to them.

The Lufkin Police Department is continuing an in-depth investigation of the events leading up to the crash. The public will be notified next week when DPS intends to conduct the crash reconstruction at the crash site to ensure the safety of Troopers and motorists.