Morgan Wheatly

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.

Two women were injured last Thursday, May 3, when they rolled their vehicles in separate accidents near Clarendon.

Jaci Hatley McAnear, age 62, was traveling northwest on US 287 near CR 30 last Thursday, May 3, about 4:07 p.m. when she fell asleep and drifted onto the northside of the roadway and struck a delineator, according to an accident report filed by DPS Trooper Joe Cannon.

McAnear then overcorrected and attempted to steer back onto the highway but lost control and began to slide toward the southside of the roadway where her 2000 Chevy Trailblazer rolled at least one complete time before coming to rest on its wheels facing north.

McAnear was transported by the Claude EMS to Northwest Texas Hospital for treatment.

Friends in Clarendon report that McAnear, who works at the Donley County State Bank, was back home Tuesday, suffering from broken ribs and other non-life threatening injuries.

In a separate accident the same day, a Clarendon College student was partially ejected from her sport utility vehicle, when it rolled west of Clarendon at about 4:50 p.m.

DPS Trooper Kellan Roberts said Lacie Johnston of Lefors was westbound on FM 2362 and had negotiated the first curve near the Clarendon ISD Ag Barn and was going into the second curve when her 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Track went off the roadway. Roberts said Johnston came back onto the roadway, overcorrected and began sliding sideways. The vehicle rolled more than once and came to rest on its right side facing south.

Johnston, who is a sophomore at Clarendon College, was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. She was transported to Northwest Texas Hospital where she was admitted for treatment.

Roberts said speed was a factor in Johnston’s accident and that citations are pending.

Clarendon High School has announced its 2012 Valedictorian and Salutatorian are Kayla Elam and Jordan Luna.

This year’s Valedictorian is Kayla Elam with a GPA of 96.7. Kayla is the daughter of Clifford and Mary Ann Johnson and the granddaughter of C. A. and Belinda Goins.

Kayla has received many academic awards while at CHS. She has received Honor C’s in IPC, chemistry, Biology, Physics, Geometry, Algebra I, French I and French II. She is also a member of the local chapter of the National Honor Society. Kayla has been a member of the A Honor Roll for the last three years and has been nominated for the United States Achievement Academy Award all four years in high school. Kayla is also the winner of the District Voice of Democracy Contest.

Kayla has also been very involved in academic contests. In 2010 Kayla placed 2nd individual in District Science and 1st in Chemistry while helping her team to a District 1st place team. In 2011 she was 1st place individual in science, a member of the 1st place district science team, was 4th place regional individual and a member of the state qualifying science team. This year Kayla placed 1st in biology and 2nd overall. She was also a member of a science team that qualified for regional. Kayla has also been successful in journalism placing 4th in district in 2011 and 2nd this year.

 

Kayla has volunteered at the Donley County Senior Citizens Center and managed fundraisers to benefit the Senior Citizens. She also helped deliver meals-on-wheels and wrote articles to raise awareness for Senior Citizen needs. She helped raise over $1,000.

Kayla’s hobbies include UIL science, writing poetry, reading, studying, shopping, hanging out with friends, cosmetology, and spending time with her family.

He has been involved in serving his community through highway cleanup and volunteer work at the Saint’s Roost Museum, Clarendon nursing home and the Donley County Senior Citizens Center.

Kayla plans on attending Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma where she will begin her studies to become a pharmacist.

This year’s Salutatorian is Jordan Luna, son of Terri Luna. Jordan has a GPA of 95.3.

Jordan has been the recipient of many awards and honors. He has qualified for regional competition in Social Studies as both a team member and an individual. He qualified in Number Sense as an individual for three years and this year helped take the team to regional competition and state competition this year. He is a member of the local chapter of the National Honor Society and serves as its president this year. He has served in the CHS Student Council for all four years and is the Council president this year. His classmates have also elected him freshman and sophomore vice-president and junior class treasurer. Jordan is also a member of the local chapter of the Junior Historians. He also boasts being a member of four straight Bronco football playoff teams.

Jordan has also given back to his community through highway cleanup, canned food and coat drives at CHS, Teens in the Driver Seat safety checks, tutoring, and working with at the First Baptist Church as a volunteer.

Jordan’s hobbies include singing, reading, and hanging with friends. He likes to write music and make songs with friends. He likes swimming, sleeping, watching movies, being awesome and being totally weird. And if that’s not enough hobbies, he also likes basketball, football, baseball, golf, bowling, riding his bike, and playing board games. I know his friends won’t believe this last one but he also likes to talk.

Jordan plans on attending Texas A&M University at College Station this fall and begin his studies in mathematics.

Howardwick was also hard hit by hail with some vehicles there sustaining major damage, and Hedley received large hail also.

As the storm moved across the county, farm equipment was beaten by the hail, and Lelia Lake was hit heavily with vehicles taking heavy damage.

Sheriff Blackburn said sirens were blown because of intense rotation seen in the storm near the city and that he did see one funnel form north of Hedley but it did not reach the ground.

Clarendon officially received 1.32″ of moisture from the storm, according to National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Tommie Saye; but unofficial reports of one inch to 2.5 inches were received. A Hedley resident reported 3.5 inches.