Accident claims life of local woman

A Clarendon woman lost her life in a two-vehicle accident last Thursday afternoon near Goodnight.

Tojuanna Pierce, age 60, was pronounced dead at the scene by Donley County Justice of the Peace Pat White, according to a report from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

DPS Sgt. Cindy Barkley said Pierce was a passenger in a 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe, driven by 58-year-old James Powell, also of Clarendon. The couple was traveling in the outside lane of eastbound US 287 when they were struck from behind by a 2002 Peterbilt truck tractor-trailer driven by Galyean Sawyer, 22, of Childress.

The Santa Fe spun around clockwise and travel into the center median. Once in the center median, the vehicle struck the far slope of the median and then spun around counter clockwise before coming to rest facing east. The unsecured passenger, Pierce, was ejected.

The semi-truck crossed over the center median, jackknifed and came to rest across both westbound lanes.

Powell and Sawyer were both wearing seatbelts, the DPS said. Powell was transported to Northwest Texas Hospital with serious injuries where he was listed in stable condition late last week.