9-Year-Old Girl Killed In Frisco Car Crash

June 9, 2011 7:04 AM

PLANO (CBSDFW.COM) - A horrible car crash along the service road of southbound State Highway 121 killed a 9-year-old girl and left her mother and sister in the hospital. The incident happened on Wednesday shortly after 9:00 p.m. between Plano Parkway and Spring Creek Parkway in Frisco, as the family was parked on the side of the road waiting for help.

According to police, a tow truck rear-ended the family’s sedan. The impact knocked the car into a nearby wall. The 9-year-old girl inside was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 32-year-old mother and 12-year-old sister were transported to Medical Center of Plano in serious condition, but both are now expected to be okay.

The deceased 9-year-old girl has been identified as Macie Hooten, a student in the Carrollton Farmers Branch Independent School District.

The 49-year-old Frisco tow truck driver was not hurt during the crash.

The family was pulled over on the side of the road due to car trouble. Police noted that the tow truck was not coming to help this particular car. It is still too early in the investigation, police said, to tell if the tow truck driver will face any charges in this case.

Girl, 9, killed when tow truck smashes into car in Frisco
By Susan McFarland

Frisco police are investigating a wreck that killed a 9-year-old girl Wednesday evening on Texas 121 near Spring Creek Parkway.

Police said about 9:15 p.m., a tow truck plowed into a vehicle parked on the service road in the 3900 block of Texas 121.

A 32-year-old resident of The Colony and her two daughters, ages 12 and 9, were in the vehicle, which police said had pulled over because of mechanical problems.

The 9-year-old girl, identified by the medical examiner as Macie Hooten, died at the scene. The mother and the 12-year-old were taken to Medical Center of Plano with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said the driver of the tow truck, a 49-year-old Frisco resident, was not injured in the collision.

Police are still investigating to determine whether any charges will be filed against the tow truck driver.
Texas 121 and Spring Creek Parkway, Frisco, TX

Driver Says Dark Road Played Role In Frisco Crash

June 9, 2011 11:13 PM

FRISCO (CBSDFW.COM) – Nine-year-old Macie Hooten died Wednesday night when a tow truck driver slammed into her family’s stalled car. It happened on the Hwy 121 service road between Spring Creek Parkway and Plano Parkway in Frisco.

Some who’ve driven on that road say it’s dark and dangerous. The tow truck driver who hit them said it was so dark, he didn’t see the family’s car until it was too late.

“All of a sudden I saw that car and there was no lights whatsoever. It was so dark, completely dark,” Reza Sheybem said.

Reza Sheybem, known as Ray, has been driving a tow truck for the Dadash towing company for about year. He was a long haul driver before that. Sheybem switched jobs to spend more time with his family. He’s a father to four boys. Three are on their own. He’s got a 12-year-old at home.

Sheybem explained how he ran into the back of the Hooten’s car. “Because car was in the center lane and completely stop. No lights. No nothing. No city lights. No hazard lights from car,” he said.

Inside the vehicle was a mother and two daughters ages 12 and 9. The younger one, Maci, died. “But, I never plan for that,” Shebem said. Suddenly, choked with emotion, he begins to cry.

Qiang Wao, said he drove by the accident moments later. “When I pass by the ambulance and the police, they were not there yet,” Wao recalls.

Staying at a nearby hotel the past four weeks, Yao said didn’t believe it was too dark. “It is dark at 9:30, but it should not cause something like this. I don’t think so,” Yao said.

Another hotel guest who heard the sirens disagrees. “Yeah, it’s definitely dark,” Pearly Hadziomerovic said.

The posted speed limit is 55. “That probably wouldn’t be enough to brake on time if she didn’t have lights on at all warning lights,” Hadziomerovic said.

In their immediate investigation, police said the tow truck driver was not speeding and not intoxicated. “I just feel really sorry for the family,” Yao said.

The city of Frisco said based on TxDOT criteria, it’s not required to put lights on service roads. They are planning to put lights here in a big future project when they can get the money for it.

Macie’s sister, Violet, posted a comment earlier today on CBSDFW.com. It says, “Thank you for your prayers. I’m okay. I had a slight concussion. Thank you. I love you Macie, Always.”

Carrollton Girl Killed in Frisco Crash

FRISCO - A nine-year-old girl was killed when a wrecker slammed into her family car on a Frisco highway Wednesday night.　

Macie Hooten’s mother is still in a Plano hospital Thursday, while her 12–year-old sister was treated and released.　

The accident happened just after 9 p.m. Wednesday on State Highway 121 service road.　

Frisco police said the tow truck was in the wrong place at the wrong time, when it slammed into the Carrollton family's car from behind.　

Hooten was sitting in the backseat, behind her mother. Her sister, Dagny, was in the front passenger seat.　

Police said something went wrong with the car, disabling it. The family was either stopped or moving slowly in the middle lane on the southbound 121 Frontage Road, when the wrecker crashed into it from behind.

"She was intellectual," said Joshua Bryan, long time family friend. "The world is missing so much without Macie."

Police said the roadway was dark at the time of the accident.　

No alcohol was involved. No charges were filed against the tow truck driver.

Hooten had just turned nine a few weeks ago. She had just finished the school year at Good Elementary in Carrollton. 　

"I was trying to teach her guitar about a week ago," Bryan said. "But she gave up on me.　And then, she came back to me just a few days ago and said, I changed my mind, I want you to teach me to play guitar."

Frisco police are still investigating the crash.　They are going to take a closer look at the car and tow truck.

Tow Truck Driver Traumatized After Fatal Frisco Crash

FRISCO (CBSDFW.COM) – They were just two drivers, on the same stretch of road, who crossed paths because of a tragic and unforeseen circumstance.

Wednesday night the driver of a tow truck slammed into a car carrying a mother and her two daughters. Their vehicle had stalled in the middle of the road.

The accident happened along the service road of the Sam Rayburn/121 Tollway, near Spring Creek in Frisco.

Of the three inside the stalled car, nine-year old Macie Hooten didn’t survive.

Thursday the driver who rear-ended the family spoke openly to CBS 11 News.

“I feel so bad. I hope [the] parents are able to deal with what happened and I pray for them,” driver Reza “Ray” Sheybem said in anguish.

Sheybem, 49, calls the incident an “unforeseeable accident”, but says he still carries the guilt of Macie’s death.

It was just before 9:30 p.m. on June 9 when Sheybem says he was making his last run for Dadash Towing. It was along a stretch of the southbound 121 Tollway service road that two families lives were forever altered.

“I was going 45-50 [mph], somewhere around there and then all of a sudden, I saw that car. There was no lights whatsoever. It was so dark… completely dark,” recalled Sheybem.

The driver says, “There was no time to stop or miss it completely. [Their] car was stopped in the center lane — no lights, no nothing, no city lights. No hazard lights from car.”

Sheybem says he tried desperately to miss the stalled vehicle, but hit the left corner of the car.

Macie was sitting in the backseat and took the brunt of the impact. Her 12-year-old sister and 32-year-old mother were also injured and taken to the hospital. Thursday afternoon only the mother remained hospitalized, but she is expected to recover.

Frisco police questioned Sheybem and an initial investigation found he was neither driving impaired or speeding.

As one family mourns the loss of their little girl Sheybem struggles to find his own peace. Before his voice wandered and he began to sob Sheybem said quietly, “I had no sleep whatsoever last night – keep thinking about the kids. I’m so sorry for that parent. I’m so sorry for that kid, but I never planned for that…”

Frisco police say they’re still investigating the accident and trying to determine if the Hooten car had the hazard lights on and what caused the vehicle to stall.

Macie’s sister, Violet, posted a comment early Thursday on CBSDFW.COM. In it she said that she’s okay and only has a slight concussion. She ended the comment by saying “Thank you. I love you Macie. Always.”

Submitted by Edward Lynn Williams