Hallsville Man Charged in Deadly East Texas DUI Crash

A Hallsville man is now charged with intoxicated manslaughter after he caused a fatal crash in Rusk County. According to KLTV, 22-year-old Tanner Griffin Templeton is facing charges of intoxicated manslaughter and intoxication assault after a crash that killed one person and injured two others.

How the Fatal Rusk County Crash Happened

According to law enforcement records, Templeton was traveling westbound on FM 1639 around 3:11 p.m. when he failed to stop at a stop sign near the intersection of FM 3053. The documents show that upon entering the intersection, Templeton’s vehicle collided with a black pickup driven by Tracey Fears.

One Person Killed, Two Others Seriously Injured

Fears was traveling northbound on FM 3053. The impact from the wreck pushed Fears' vehicle into oncoming southbound traffic, where it was struck head-on by another pickup. Tracey Fears died at the scene of the crash. Two passengers in Fears' vehicle, Stephanie Fears and Braden Fears, were both airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries.

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What Investigators Observed at the Scene

According to law enforcement, upon arriving at the scene, a Texas DPS trooper found Templeton sitting in the driver’s seat of his vehicle. The trooper smelled alcohol on Templeton and noticed that he had red, glassy eyes and slurred speech.

The trooper administered several field sobriety tests that Templeton failed. Templeton was then arrested and taken to a hospital. Once cleared by medical officials, Templeton was booked into the Rusk County Jail and is being held on a $275,000 bond.

According to investigators, alcohol impairment is alleged to have been a factor in the crash.

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