5 Dead, Including a 4-Year-Old, in Head-On Crash on Highway 155 in Flint

What Happened on Highway 155?

At about 8 a.m. on Thursday, July 9, 2026, a white Toyota Highlander traveling south on State Highway 155 near FM 344 in Flint, Smith County, crossed the center line into the northbound lanes and struck a northbound white Cadillac SUV head-on, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety, as reported by KLTV and the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

The Highlander’s driver, identified by DPS as Jonathan Ryal, 51, of Tyler, was the vehicle’s only occupant and was pronounced dead at the scene. In the Cadillac, driver Rhanda Lacy, 60, of Crockett, and passengers Leshonda Shepherd, 41, of Crockett, and Cynthia Donnell, 63, of Palestine, were also pronounced dead at the scene. A 4-year-old girl riding in the Cadillac was flown to a Dallas-area hospital in critical condition and died from her injuries the next day, DPS confirmed, bringing the death toll to five, according to KWTX and the Kilgore News Herald.

DPS said none of the five people in the crash was properly restrained. The reason the Highlander crossed into oncoming traffic has not been released, and the investigation remains open.

Staying in Your Lane Under Texas Law

Texas law requires a vehicle to be driven, as nearly as practical, entirely within a single marked lane and to not move from that lane until it is safe to do so — a rule most directly implicated when a vehicle crosses a roadway’s center line into oncoming traffic, per Section 545.060 of the Texas Transportation Code. What caused a driver to leave their lane in any specific crash — a medical event, distraction, fatigue, or something else — is a question the completed DPS crash report, not early news coverage, ultimately answers.

Who Can Be Affected?

A crash that kills five people, including a young child, reaches multiple families at once. People who may have questions about their legal options can include:

• The surviving spouses, children, and parents of Rhanda Lacy, Leshonda Shepherd, and Cynthia Donnell — the family members Texas law recognizes in a wrongful death case
• The family of the 4-year-old girl who died from her injuries
• Households that depended on any of the victims’ income and now face funeral costs and lost support

What Kind of Claim Might Apply?

Attorneys who handle Texas multi-fatality crash cases generally describe several paths that can apply once the facts are established:

• Wrongful death and survival claims — under Chapter 71 of the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code, the surviving spouse, children, and parents of a person killed by another’s wrongful act can generally seek compensation, and each estate can bring a survival claim for the deceased’s own damages.
• The at-fault driver’s estate and liability insurance — when a driver found responsible for a fatal crash has also died, families’ claims typically proceed against that driver’s estate and any applicable auto liability coverage, a process an attorney can help navigate.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage — a single policy’s limits can be stretched thin when a crash results in multiple deaths. If the at-fault coverage is insufficient to cover all the losses, UM/UIM coverage on a family’s own policy can apply. Texas Insurance Code Chapter 1952 requires insurers to offer this coverage on every Texas auto policy.

A lawyer can obtain the crash report when it is complete, preserve evidence, deal with multiple insurance claims arising from the same crash, and help make sure each family’s losses are fully accounted for.

Why Acting Quickly Can Matter

Texas law sets deadlines. For most wrongful death and personal-injury cases, the statute of limitations is generally two years, with limited exceptions. Evidence also fades quickly, and when a crash involves multiple deceased parties and estates, sorting out claims and available insurance can take time. Many families have a lawyer begin that process early. The referral and the first consultation are free.

Sources

1. KLTV — 4 dead, toddler critically injured in multi-vehicle wreck in Flint
2. KLTV — Toddler dies; adults identified in Flint wreck that killed 5
3. KWTX — Child dies; adults identified in Flint wreck that killed 5
4. Tyler Morning Telegraph — Officials: 4 dead, 1 hospitalized after two-vehicle crash on Highway 155 in Flint
5. Kilgore News Herald — DPS identifies victims of deadly crash on Highway 155 in Flint; 4-year-old dies from injuries
6. Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 545 (Operation and Movement of Vehicles)
7. Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code, Chapter 71 (Wrongful Death; Survival)
8. Texas Insurance Code, Chapter 1952 (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage)
9. Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code, Chapter 16 (Limitations)