A 59-year-old Willis man was killed late Sunday night when a pickup truck crossed into oncoming traffic on State Highway 30 near FM 244 in Grimes County, Texas, and slammed head-on into his 1972 Dodge Polara. The disabled sedan was then struck by a westbound motorcycle whose rider could not avoid the wreckage in time. The pickup burst into flames on impact, and its driver escaped the burning vehicle but suffered severe burns. Two people were left injured in the crash, and the Texas Department of Public Safety is still investigating what caused the pickup to cross the center line.
According to KBTX and WTAW, the crash happened around 11:15 p.m. Sunday on SH 30 near FM 244 west of Roans Prairie. Charles Keil, 59, of Willis, the driver of the Dodge Polara, was pronounced dead at the scene, WTAW reported. The pickup driver was airlifted by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston with severe burns, while the motorcyclist was taken to a hospital in the Bryan-College Station area, both in stable condition according to WTAW. KBTX reported that SH 30 was completely shut down for nearly five hours, reopening just after 5:00 a.m. Monday. The Texas Department of Public Safety has not yet released a cause for the crash.
