The Department of Public Safety and Shallowater principal, Tom Johnson, has confirmed the death of 17-year-old Shallowater student, Justice Chavez, in a car wreck at CR 6100 and FM 179 on Monday. Chaves was pronounced dead at the scene. He was a football player and was honorable mention all-District 2-3A as a defensive lineman last season.
Alicia Ramos, a 16-year-old passenger, died at University Medical Center on Monday night following injuries that were sustained at the wreck. A DPS spokesperson confirmed that Ramos died at the hospital.
According to a DPS release, Douglas Fairbanks, along with his 10-year-old son, was driving a Chevy pickup northbound on FM 179 and collided into a two-door Pontiac which was traveling eastbound on CR 6100.
Johnson said that Shallowater students have gathered at the high school. Douglas and his son were not reported to have sustained any injuries in the incident.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, young people ages 15-20 make up 6.7 percent of the total driving population in the country but are involved in 14 percent of all fatal crashes.