Glasscock County, TX (August 12, 2026) – Two people were killed on Tuesday afternoon, August 11, when a crane struck their SUV from behind on State Highway 137 at County Road 110. The crash was reported around 5 p.m., according to authorities.
Katherine Yvonne Trask, 71, was driving a Toyota RAV4 northbound with 73-year-old James Emery Jr. Trask also in the vehicle when a Grove Crane traveling behind them failed to control its speed and struck the SUV, troopers said.
The impact caused the RAV4 to spin across the roadway before coming to rest facing west. The crane continued north before stopping further down the highway.
Both Trasks were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the crane was not injured.
The wreck remains under investigation. Our condolences go out to the Trask family.
Why Are Rear-End Crashes With Heavy Equipment So Dangerous?
Rear-end incidents involving a heavy vehicle like a mobile crane carry an outsized risk because of the weight difference between the two vehicles. A loaded crane can weigh many times more than a typical SUV, meaning most of the force in a collision is transferred directly into the smaller, less protected vehicle ahead.
Large, slow-moving equipment being transported on public highways can be harder for other drivers to judge in terms of speed and stopping distance, but the same is true in reverse: an operator driving a crane also has to account for its longer stopping distance and reduced maneuverability compared with a standard truck. Losing track of that extra distance can turn a routine follow into a serious rear-end strike.
When a struck vehicle spins or rotates across the roadway, it ends up facing an unexpected direction relative to traffic, which adds another layer of danger for anyone approaching from behind. Rural highways with higher speed limits, like this stretch of Highway 137, leave less room for a following vehicle to react and stop safely.
