Four people were killed, and two teens were critically injured in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 45 southeast of Dallas late Sunday night, May 22.
Wilmer police received a call at 11:43 p.m. concerning a wrong-way crash on I-45 near Mars Road in Wilmer. A driver was reportedly headed north in the southbound lane and struck another vehicle head-on.
The female driver and two children in the vehicle traveling the wrong way on the highway were pronounced dead at the scene. The male driver of the second vehicle died at the scene, and two teen passengers in his truck were transported to the hospital in serious condition.
On Monday, the Palestine Independent School District posted a message on Facebook, identifying 28-year-old Michael Coyne, a teacher and coach at Palestine Junior High, as the man who died in the crash.
As reported by WFAA News, Coyne and two students were driving back to Palestine following a Mavericks game in Dallas that evening.
One of the students, Rueben Vasquez, 15, had been given tickets to the game by his parents. Vasquez’s older brother had died in a car crash just two weeks before, and his parents gave him the tickets to help take his mind off the recent tragedy.
Vasquez invited his 14-year-old cousin Rebecca Campa, also a student of Palestine ISD, and Coach Coyne to the game since he knew the coach was a big fan of the Golden State Warriors, who were playing against the Mavericks that night.
Coach Coyne had agreed to drive for the outing. The district said the family asked Coyne to take the students to the game because the students looked up to him.
According to the school district, Coyne had been with the district for three years, primarily coaching track, volleyball, and basketball. Coyne’s wife Bethany works for the school district as an athletic trainer. The couple have a one-year-old daughter.
The two teens were seriously injured in the crash but are expected to survive. Both have undergone multiple surgeries for their injuries.
Funeral services were held for Coach Coyne Saturday, May 28, at the First Baptists Church of Palestine. A fundraising page has been set up for Coyne’s wife and daughter on Spotfund.com.
A community drive to assist the families involved in the crash is being organized through Southside Baptist Church in Palestine, according to NBC DFW.
The Dallas County Medical Examiner has identified the alleged wrong-way driver as 33-year-old Francisca Granados Fuentas, who is believed to be from Dallas. Her two children, two-year-old Gabriela Fuentas and one-year-old Justino Jaimes, were also killed in the crash, Fox News reported.
Wilmer Police are investigating whether drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash, but it may be weeks before a determination is made.
