This morning in Pleasant Grove, a routine drive on South Buckner Boulevard turned deadly when a pickup truck ran a red light and slammed into an SUV, killing the pickup driver and sending the other motorist to the hospital, Dallas police said.
Officers were called to the two-vehicle crash around 1:10 a.m. The pickup driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while the SUV driver was taken to a local hospital with injuries that officials described as not life-threatening. Police say the investigation is still active.
Police say pickup ran the light, SUV took the hit
According to FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, the wreck happened in the 5500 block of South Buckner Boulevard at about 1:10 a.m. A preliminary investigation indicates the pickup failed to stop at a red light before crashing into the SUV.
Police told the station the pickup driver suffered fatal injuries. The driver's name has not been released, with authorities saying they are waiting to notify family members first. Investigators have not announced any charges related to the crash and say they are still sorting through evidence from the scene.
South Buckner's growing safety headache
The section of South Buckner Boulevard where this latest wreck occurred is no stranger to trouble. Residents and city officials have repeatedly raised red flags about frequent crashes and confusing signal timing along the corridor.
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported that TxDOT data show dozens of crashes along parts of Buckner this year and that the busy road is now a priority in the city's Vision Zero planning. Local leaders have said increased enforcement and design fixes are in the works as they look for ways to cut down on serious wrecks.
Deadly crashes stacking up in Pleasant Grove
This latest fatality is landing in a community that is already on edge about traffic violence. Earlier in May, a separate late-night crash in Pleasant Grove left two people dead when a car slammed into a tree, according to The Dallas Morning News.
The same deadly tree crash was highlighted in coverage of a string of serious wrecks in southeast Dallas, underscoring growing concern about traffic safety in and around Pleasant Grove. Those earlier collisions prompted fresh calls for tougher enforcement and infrastructure changes along some of East Dallas' busiest routes.
Detectives want witnesses and video
As of today's red light crash, detectives are asking for help. Anyone who saw the collision or has video of what happened is urged to contact investigators.
The Dallas Police Department lists its headquarters number and the Crime Stoppers tipline for people who want to share information. Officials say more details will be released once family notifications are complete and key investigative steps are finished. For now, officers are focused on gathering evidence and pinning down exactly what led to the deadly red light violation on South Buckner.
