UPDATED: Childress man dies in Hedley accident

A Childress man died in a traffic accident in Hedley Monday morning, January 27, becoming the third fatality in the US 287 construction zone there and leading the state agency to close crossings there.

Department of Public Safety Trooper Kelly Hill said 46-year-old Ronald Shane Simpkins was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Pat White after his westbound service truck collided with an eastbound semi-truck driven by Calvin Wayne Renfro, 43, of Irving, pulling a double trailer.

Hill said an eastbound pickup truck pulling a trailer was stopped on US 287 preparing to turn north onto the Bailey Street railroad crossing and another semi-truck was parked behind that vehicle. When Renfro came up on the stopped vehicles suddenly, he “took the wrong evasive action,” Hill said, steering to the left into the oncoming westbound traffic.

Simpkins, going westbound, steered to the right when he saw the oncoming semi-truck, and the two vehicles collided in closed lanes which are under construction.

Renfro was uninjured in the accident. A passenger in Renfro’s semi, 52-year-old Keith Williams of Waco, was transported to Amarillo for medical treatment.
Earlier this month, two women lost their lives in a January 6 accident in the US 287 construction zone in Hedley, and Trooper Hill said at least six accidents have occurred in the zone.

On January 17, the Texas Department of Transportation Childress District closed the Hwy. 203 / Main Street railroad crossing on US 287 in Hedley. Monday afternoon, TxDOT closed the remaining two railroad crossings in the city at Bailey Street and McDougal Street.

TxDOT says travelers needing to access Hedley from US 287 are advised to take FM 1260 east of Clarendon then take FM 2471 to either FM 1932 or State Highway 273. Justice of the Peace Pat White also advises travelers coming from Memphis can take CR 28 near the Giles rest area and then CR W to enter Hedley.

On Tuesday afternoon, TxDOT had reports of drivers going around the barricades on the closed intersections in Hedley. Those violators could face fines of up to $400 if workers were present.