Flags were flown at half-mast outside buildings operated by the Whitesboro ISD on Tuesday, Feb. 3, after the death of a woman who had spent 18 years working for the district. The woman, who served as teacher, assistant principal and principal at Whitesboro Middle School, died in a head-on collision at 7 a.m. that day.
A trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety told a local news outlet that the woman had been traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 377 when the accident occurred. Her Chevrolet Suburban was reported struck head-on by a southbound vehicle that was attempting to pass a car.
Reports say that the woman was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. However, the 60-year-old man driving the other car was taken to a hospital for treatment in critical condition. That driver, who is a resident of Sadler, was transferred to the Medical Center of Plano where he underwent emergency surgery.
The school district’s superintendent told media outlets that the loss of the principal was painful, suggesting that she had been like a member of the district’s family. In addition, a grief counselor, who was a former student of the woman, has been working with children at the school in an attempt to help them with their grief. Her funeral service was scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7.
The effect of a fatal accident on immediate family members can be difficult to manage. In addition to the emotional loss of support, families may also face financial instability because of the costs associated with funeral arrangements and the loss of the victim’s income. However, it may be possible for those families to receive financial compensation for those damages through a wrongful death lawsuit filed in civil court.
Source: KXII, “Whitesboro principal killed in crash,” Sean Larsen, Feb. 4, 2015
