Two dead at scene of violent crash, shooting in northeast Arlington

• Read the latest story here: 'Ranting' driver causes fatal wreck, shoots bystander, Arlington police say. | View a photo gallery from the scene

Video: Witness Jason King describes what he saw. Video by Max Faulkner/Star-Telegram

 

 

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6:05 p.m.: NBC5 reports that a man named Robert Wiley, of Arlington, who was driving a white Nissan Altima, was in good condition at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital.

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This photo shot by witness Jason Welch shows a man (far right) being led away from the blue SUV in handcuffs.

Law officers take cover next to the blue SUV after a shot was fired. Photo by Jason Welch.

Arlington police: Driver in violent crash, shooting in custody, facing charges

5:15 p.m. By Terry Evans: Police have confirmed that there was an initial crash involving the blue SUV (at first believed to be an Escalade but now believed to be a Chevy Tahoe) at North Collins Street and Cantor Drive, just south of the second accident scene.

Sgt. Christopher Cook said the blue SUV fled north on Collins after that crash, followed by multiple vehicles whose drivers were trying to get a license plate. The blue SUV, traveling at a high rate of speed, rear-ended a gray Dodge pickup stopped at Brown Boulevard.

One person in the pickup was killed, and eight vehicles were eventually involved in the chain-reaction crash, Cook said.

The damaged SUV ended up in the southbound lanes. At some point, Cook said, "a young man walked up to the driver's side of the SUV and was shot."

Cook said investigators aren't sure whether the victim emerged from a vehicle or was a bystander who just walked up to try to help. Several apartments, businesses and a golf course surround the intersection.

"The big question is why this happened," he said. "Whether it was road rage or something else, we don't know. We're still looking at possible motives."

The SUV driver was taken to Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital and then to the Arlington Police Department, where he faces charges related to the shooting, Cook said. A handgun was recovered from the crash scene, he said.

The two children from the blue SUV who were taken to Cook's are twin toddlers who were related to the driver now in custody, Cook said.

The driver's name was not immediately released.  

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5 p.m.: Reports said that two to three injured adults were taken to Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital. Other reports said the "Escalade" described by the witnesses at the scene might actually have been a Chevy Tahoe.

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Witness says driver "ranting, raving, half-laughing" before firing shot

4:30 p.m., By Terry Evans: Witness Billy Ray Vaughn was at the intersection of Washington and Collins and saw the Escalade Tahoe crash into a silver car and kept going at a "high rate of speed." He said the silver car began chasing the Escalade Tahoe.

Vaughn continued to drive down Collins and drove up on the crash scene.

He saw two children in the back of the Escalade Tahoe and rushed to the SUV to try and get the children out of the vehicle.

"I went to the SUV to help the kids. ... The guy was ranting and raving, half-laughing. I saw him reach up and fire out the driver's window," Vaughn said.

He said a deputy constable from Precinct 2, who happened to be at the scene, then pulled his weapon on the driver.

"Within five minutes, there were police everywhere with guns drawn," Vaughn said.

Arlington police removed the driver from the SUV.

Vaughn said one of the children crawled out a window of the Escalde Tahoe, fell to the street and was crawling away when "a witness ran over and picked up the baby."

Police said the children did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

Kaylee Mossman, a resident of a nearby apartment complex, said she talked to people who witnessed the shooting. The victim was a young man, they said.

"They said he was 16 or 17 years old," Mossman said.

As police were taking the driver from the vehicle, "he was laughing and smiling. I heard him say, "I'll shoot somebody again,' " she said.

The driver was taken to a local hospital and was being interviewed by detectives, said Arlington police Sgt. Christopher Cook.

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Report: Wednesday's incident may have begun when a vehicle fled after a hit-and-run

4 p.m.: Fox 4 is reporting that the incident might have involved road rage that began with a hit-and-run about a third of a mile down Collins, at Collins and Washington. (map) Police have not confirmed that.

The two children taken to Cook's were apparently removed from the back of the Escalade Tahoe, Fox 4 said.

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The SUV is on the left and the pickup on the right. Photo by Joyce Marshall/Star-Telegram

Another view of the pickup, left, and the SUV. Joyce Marshall/Star-Telegram

Witness says he saw body on ground, police yelling at driver to get out

3:47 p.m., By Lee Williams: Jason Welch of Arlington said he drove up on the scene in time to see police approaching the Escalade Tahoe and yelling at the driver to get out.

"There was a body on the ground next to the Escalade Tahoe," he said. He echoed other witnesses who said it appeared as if the victim had come up to help after the crash.

Welch said he was certain that the two dead were the man on the ground and the person slumped over in the damaged pickup.

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3:35 p.m.: Reporter Chris Vaughn says he counts at least eight vehicles with damage.

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Witness says gunman shot good Samaritan who was trying to help after accident

3:25 p.m., By Terry Evans: Jeremy Haigler, an Arlington resident, was in a truck on Collins that was involved in the crash.

He saw two children in the back seat of the Escalade Tahoe after the crash.

He said the guy driving the Escalade Tahoe was "very belligerent."

He was still sitting in the driver's seat and as people approached the Escalade Tahoe "he was shouting at them incoherently and pushing them away."

At that point, "everyone started spreading out and I moved away too," Haigler said.

He then "heard a gunshot. I believe he shot someone who was trying to help," Haigler said.

(Screen grab from CBS 11 showing two of the cars involved in the collision. They were at the Brown Boulevard intersection.)

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3:24 p.m.: CBS 11 reports that a witness saw emergency workers carrying a child away from the scene after the crash. Officers said they were not aware of any law-enforcement pursuit in progress.

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Witness says he saw SUV driver shoot someone in head

3:10 p.m.: A person at the scene who asked not to be identified told our Chris Vaughn that he saw the driver of the Escalade Tahoe shoot someone in the head.

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Police spokesman confirms two dead, two at Cook Children's

3:08 p.m., By Chris Vaughn: Two people are dead and two others were taken to Cook Children's Medical Center on Wednesday after a shooting and a violent multi-vehicle crash, said Sgt. Christopher Cook of the Arlington Police Department.

"We're not sure if the accident happened first or the shooting happened first,"Cook said.

One person has been detained as a person of interest. That person is currently being interviewed by detectives.

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Report: Tarrant County constables first on the scene

3:02 p.m.: Channel 4 is reporting that a Precinct 2 constable was in the area, heard shots and called for help. Two constables from Precinct 7 were nearby and were able to secure the suspect, who was in the black Escalade blue Tahoe.

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Witness Jason King describes what he saw. Photo by Max Faulkner/Star-Telegram

Witness says he saw SUV, traveling 100 mph, being chased before crash, shooting

3 p.m., By Chris Vaughn: Jason King was in the McDonald's on Collins when the wreck happened.

King said that there was a Cadillac Escalade Chevy Tahoe that was being chased by a small silver car north on Collins at a "high rate of speed."

"They must have been running 100 mph," King said.

The Escalade Tahoe hit the back of a pickup stopped at a red light at Brown and Collins, which caused a chain reaction.

The pickup rammed into the back of yellow sports car, which then crashed into the back of a minivan or small SUV.

King ran to the pickup truck that had been rear-ended, smashed out a window and said the driver's "eyes were open, but he looked dead. He was not breathing."

He then saw a toddler climbing out of the back of the Escalade Tahoe and ran to help the child.

At that point, a man stepped out of the Escalade Tahoe and started popping off shots, King said.

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Two reported dead at the scene

2:49 p.m.: Police have not said whether the two dead were in the same vehicle. They also have not said how the shooting was connected.

Photo of the scene, from south of Brown Boulevard, by Max Faulkner/Star-Telegram

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2:47 p.m.: Police have detained one person at the scene. Two are dead and two injured. Some of the damaged vehicles were apparently stopped at the traffic light at Brown Boulevard.

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Witness says he heard "pop," saw passenger slumped in seat

2:40 p.m., By Terry Evans: There apparently are two dead at the scene.

One witness, who would identify herself only as "Mindy," said she was driving behind one of the pickups involved in the wreck. She pulled into the Valero convenience store near the crash scene to see what she could do to help.

"I heard a pop and a guy slumped into the passenger seat" of an SUV that was involved in the crash, and now sits sideways in the southbound lane of Collins Street.

"They've got someone covered up on the ground," she said.

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Chain-reaction crash on northbound Collins at Brown traffic light

2:34 p.m.: The vehicles suffering the most damage appeared to have been northbound on Collins. It looks like there might have been a chain-reaction crash right at the intersection with Brown. The bed of a gray pickup was demolished, and a small yellow car looks to have been sandwiched between two vehicles at the intersection.

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Two children on the way to Cook's in Fort Worth

2:20 p.m.: Two children are on their way to Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth. An officer is also en route to the hospital.

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2:29 p.m.: At least three vehicles are badly damaged in the crash.

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Fast-food worker describes hearing loud crash

2:21 p.m., By Eva-Marie Ayala: Fabiola Hernandez works at a nearby fast-food restaurant.

"I was taking an order, and then I heard loud crashes," she said. "I didn't know what it was. It just scared me."

Hernandez said she could see multiple cars involved in the wreck and soon the area was busy with police, helicopters and emergency workers.

"I'm still nervous," Hernandez said. "All I can see now are the emergency lights going."

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(Screen grab from WFAA/Channel 8)

2:19 p.m.: About six vehicles are involved in a major collision at the intersection. (map) The incident may have begun as a police chase, reports say.

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2:15 p.m.: Police have set up a command post south of the intersection of North Collins Street and Brown Boulevard.

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2:10 p.m., By Lee Williams: Update: A clerk who answered the phone at the Valero convenience store at Brown and North Collins described the scene as "a very, very, very bad accident then a man with a gun."

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2 p.m., By Domingo Ramirez Jr.: Arlington officers are working a shooting scene at North Collins Street and Brown Boulevard, near Ditto Golf Course, with two people reported down, Arlington police said

At least three ambulances were dispatched to the scene and officers were asking that roads be closed in the area. The incident began shortly before 1:45 p.m. and was reported as a major traffic accident, according to the Arlington police department website.

Within minutes, the report was changed to a shooting. Two babies who were not injured were reported in a vehicle that was involved in the incident, Arlington police reported.

Officers were asking for crowbars and extrication equipment. It was not clear whether a gunman was in custody.

Comments

[I saw it]

Gunman is dead.

[vidkid]

People are crazy! What is the world coming to?

["The" OSU]

Escalade driver needs to be executed.

[charles]

With that area, Is anyone suprised by this shooting ? Just hope the kids are OK..

[charles]

IF it's true the gunman is dead that is a good thing, TIRED of spending money to house and feed these idiots.

[bm]

killing a good samaritan??? Eternity is gonna seem like forever for that one

hopefully the kids will forget or block out what they saw

[Jerome Williams]

Damn shame; 3 men will not be coming home tonight, 2 permanently.

[K.C]

Wow, I can't believe this happened right down the street where I live.

What is the world coming to?

[Terry Musgrave]

omg what was that person thinking with that many people being hurt and killed and kids involved and shooting at who you please so sad

[TexasBite]

Don't give a flying flock what excuses this guy has, he needs to be ERASED from this planet, while we are still made up of mostly humans.

[John S]

Escalade driver needs to be soaked in gasoline and torched while still alive while being dragged down the street with a thick chain tied around his neck, and another chain attached to his ankles, with the other end of THAT chain attached to the bumper of an Escalade driving in the opposite direction of the first vehicle. Each said vehicle should travel a about 1 MPH.

THEN take whats left of him, tie it in a bundle, hang said bundle from the nearest lamp post for the buzzards to finish off. NO funeral expenses.

[veronica]

that's the problem with people these days they don't think they just take action without thinking of the consequences or who they hurt. if they only put themselves in those peolples shoes. my prayers go out to all that were involved in this terrifing accident. may GOD bring peace and comfort to the families.

[Fausta]

Richard Alpert should have a field day with this case.

[cheyenne h]

he shot my friend Clarence Robinson Formosa reason i can't beloved this..rest in peace babyboy

[uh_clem]

Two important questions need to be answered about this; was the gun used legally purchased and did the man have a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

[Cathy B]

Condolences and prayers to the families and friends of the two innocent men who died.

[Amandac]

Im a Leasing Agent and i was working off of Green Oaks and collins not too far from the seen. I didnt see anything but i did hear the sirens and received a telephone cal regarding the incident from one of my residents. My main concered were the children and the individuals families that were killed and injured. Justice will be served.

[amanda]

he should not be able to bail but he is $555,000.00 !!!!! peolpe are crazy and dumb !!

[kayla e.]

who knows why this man did what he did,To all of you who wished death on this man this could have easily been your son,brother,or family member, would you wish the same hateful wishes on him then? This man clearly shows signs of a mental break down or some type of mental illness. Do i want to spend my taxes dollars housing and feeding this man, NO, but it's clear he need some type of help. wishing death on any human makes you no better then him.we tend to want to fix things only God can fix. death isn't always the answer. i pray for all that was affected by this, YES even the shooter... God will handle the rest.. GOD BLESS

[cosaundra chapple]

Sometime our actions affect others for a lifetime.