Hours after the severe storms rolled through Deep East Texas the Spangler family was picking up their property and trying to come to terms with the death of two children on the road in front of their house.
“I’m not used to that. I don’t have a job where I can deal with that,” said Joe Spangler.
Spangler said he was on his porch when the storm intensified. He went inside to get his family to their safe room.
“When I went inside my dad was in a wheelchair and I had him get in the hall. I heard someone knocking on the door. It was a lady. The mom was saying, ‘Help me. Help me.’ I pulled her in the house and I looked at the road and saw her husband,” he said. “When I got down there I saw how the tree fell on her car and I knew it wasn’t good.”
Spangler stayed with the children until first responders arrived.
As he works to repair the damage to his home, he thinks about the children and the loss it brings to their family.
“One of our friends came up and said this is unimaginable. You can’t imagine that happening, a tree fall on a car while going down the road. Very upsetting. Very upsetting.”
The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old were killed in the wreck.
The crash occurred about 2:13 p.m. Saturday in the 1800 block of Dewitt Henson Road.
When officials arrived, they determined the children were trapped in the back seat of the car under a tree, according to the sheriff’s office.
Responders with Lufkin Fire Department and Central Volunteer Fire Department were called to the scene and both children were removed from the vehicle.
“Sadly, both children were pronounced deceased at the scene. Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 Billy Ball conducted the inquest at the scene,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
One child was identified Saturday evening.
Eight-year-old Dilynn Creel died in the crash, according to a social media post from Central Elementary Principal Anita Byrd.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Dilynn Creel, 2nd grade student at Central Elementary. We will have extra counselors available for Central Elementary on Monday. Central ISD will be accepting donations for the family. Please keep the Creel family in your thoughts and prayers,” she wrote.
The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the identity of the child.
http://www.ksla.com/2019/04/14/children-killed-during-weekend-storms-angelina-county/
