HARRISON COUNTY, TX — A pre-dawn collision at a rural crossroads turned deadly Wednesday when two vehicles collided with catastrophic force, killing both drivers instantly in what investigators describe as a preventable tragedy. The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the victims as Andrew Allison, 44, of Carthage and Terry Ledbetter, 69, of Marshall following the 5:05 a.m. wreck at Highway 43 and Fyffe Cutoff.
Preliminary findings indicate Allison’s westbound SUV barreled through a stop sign on Fyffe Cutoff, slamming into the passenger side of Ledbetter’s southwest-bound pickup truck with such violence that both vehicles came to rest nearly 100 feet from the impact point. “The intersection was completely dark at that hour,” noted DPS Sergeant Javier Morales, describing twisted metal strewn across the blacktop when first responders arrived. Neither driver showed signs of life at the scene.
The crash has reignited safety concerns about this poorly lit junction, where agriculture trucks and oilfield workers’ vehicles converge before sunrise. Harrison County records show five serious collisions at this intersection since 2021, though none previously fatal. Residents report the stop sign—Allison’s alleged point of failure—is frequently obscured by overgrown brush during summer months.
Ledbetter, a retired Marshall ISD bus driver, was en route to his part-time job at a local feed store when the collision occurred. Allison, a pipeline technician, leaves behind three children at Carthage High School. Their simultaneous funerals scheduled for next week have drawn an outpouring of community support, with a joint memorial fund established at Texas Bank and Trust.
As accident reconstruction specialists map final trajectories and download vehicle data recorders, DPS urges witnesses to come forward. While toxicology reports may take weeks, the stark reminder of this tragedy remains: in Harrison County’s vast network of unlit farm-to-market roads, one missed sign can erase multiple lives in an instant.
