Wreck Claims First Fatality of New Year

(CAMERON) Milam County recorded its first traffic fatality of the new year early today, and it happened on Hwy 36 west of Cameron, the deadliest stretch of Highway in Central Texas.

Killed in the wreck was 18 year old Juan Carlos Labrada of Cameron. His 93' Mercury Tracer collided head-on with a 2000 Dodge Ram Pickup driven by Craig Zelasco, 37 of Pasadena, Maryland. Zelasco and his passenger, William Lineback, 44 of Belton are in serious condition this morning at Scott & White Hospital in Temple. One of the men was transported from the scene by Starflight of Austin, and the other by Medivac II of Taylor.

Both vehicles struck head on without any indication of skid marks. Both drivers had to be cut out of their vehicles with the Jaws-of-Life. Justice of the Peace Melanie Reed pronounced Labrada dead at the scene at 1:02 a.m. today. The accident happened around 12:15 this morning. Cameron Fire and Scott & White EMS responded along with Starflight and Medivac.

Investigating Trooper Ernest Del Bosque said Labrada was westbound and crossed the center stripe. The accident happened 3/10ths of a mile west of the Cameron City Limits. Traffic was shut down in both directions for more than 2 hours as the wreck scene was recorded and cleared.

It was one year ago to the day, that a Cameron couple became the county’s first fatalities of 2001, and it happened only a mile down the road. Sharon Kaye Morgan and her husband Charles Ray Morgan were killed January 4, 2001 in the accident 2 miles west of Cameron on Hwy 36. (See story) Ironically, that wreck occurred four days after closing the books on one of the deadliest years in Milam County history. In 2000, 24 people were killed in traffic accidents here in the county. 13 of those were killed in accidents on the stretch of Highway 36 between Cameron and the Bell County Line. The wreck that killed the Morgans was the last fatality on that stretch of Highway, until today.