Amarillo crash kills local lady

By Aziza Musa & Russell Anglin,

Amarillo Globe-News

A 77-year-old Greenbelt Lake woman died in Amarillo Saturday as a result of injuries from a crash on Interstate 40, police said.

Merlene Hooker Scott died after a car struck her SUV, which rolled over at least twice down the embankment and onto the access road, police said.

About 6 p.m., a blue Pontiac G6, driven by 18-year-old Edwin Ortiz, and a maroon car with an unknown driver were racing while westbound on I-40, witnesses told police. Ortiz struck Scott’s Chevrolet Suburban on the passenger side, said Traffic Investigations Sgt. Warren Gross.

Scott was driving in the rightmost lane when the accident happened, he said.

Scott was knocked off the interstate and landed on the access road near the 1600 block of South Bowie Street, police said.

Anthony Farley, who lives nearby, said he heard tires squealing and a loud bang before he rushed outdoors.

Farley saw the SUV roll down the embankment before coming to rest on its tires, he said. He said he saw Scott hit her head several times on the half-open window.

When the car came to rest, he and other witnesses rushed to her side, Farley, 34, said.

Kelly Barnes, 37, who lives in the same home, said she ran to grab her phone and call 911.

Farley climbed in through the back window while other witnesses pried open the driver’s door, he said. They managed to pull Scott out of the SUV, and a nurse administered CPR until emergency responders arrived, he said.

Ambulances dashed Scott to a local hospital, where she died, Gross said. An autopsy is scheduled in Lubbock on Monday, he said.

Field officers later found Ortiz on West 16th Avenue and South Lamar Street after dispatchers called out the car’s description, Gross said.

Ortiz, 18, was booked into the Potter County Detention Center Saturday on a second-degree felony charge of racing on highway causing seriously bodily injury and a third-degree felony charge of accident involving death or serious injury, jail officials said Sunday. Edwin Ortiz’s bond is set at $150,000 for the two charges, officials said.

Police do not know whether Ortiz’s car struck the maroon car or whether Ortiz was exiting or passing Scott on the highway shoulder, he said.

Ortiz’s father, Hugo Ortiz, 43, was also arrested and booked into the Potter County Detention Center Saturday on an interference with public duties charge after returning to the crime scene and taking pictures on I-40 after officials told him to stay away, Sgt. Jeff Hooten said Sunday. Hugo Ortiz posted bail Saturday for the Class B misdemeanor charge, jail records show.

Merlene Scott’s husband, Bill Scott, 83, said he and his wife celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary last month, and that she had recently received a clean bill of health from her doctor. The Amarillo couple retired to Greenbelt Lake about 15 years ago, he said.

Editor’s Note: Information appears with permission of the Amarillo Globe-News.