Relatives identify the victims as Lakeisha Brown, Myunique Johnson, Taylor White and Breanna Brantley.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — A newly shared highway video is at the center of a wrongful-death lawsuit over a November 2025 collision on U.S. 87 near Dalhart that killed four Houston-area friends. The suit, filed in Bexar County, names the truck driver, two trucking firms and H-E-B.
The footage emerged this week as families push for answers about how a slowing Nissan Altima, hazard lights blinking after a flat tire, was struck from behind by an 18-wheeler hauling potatoes. Attorneys argue the video supports allegations that the truck failed to reduce speed or change lanes despite an open left lane. The case is drawing wide interest because H-E-B says the driver was a third-party vendor, not a company employee, and because state investigators note “failed to control speed” in the crash report. Prosecutors have not announced charges as the Department of Public Safety continues its work.
Relatives say the victims—Brown, 19; Johnson, 20; White, 27; and Brantley, 30—had driven to Oklahoma to comfort a grieving friend and were headed home on Nov. 5, 2025. The stretch outside Dalhart is long and flat, with wide lanes and a broad median. Video from a passing motorist shows another car moving left to pass before the truck closes on the Altima. “They never saw it coming,” said Subrina Williams, Brantley’s mother. She said her final call with her daughter ended with “I love you,” minutes before the crash.
The lawsuit names driver Guadalupe Daniel Villarreal along with Parkway Transport Inc. and Scrappy Trucking LLC, alleging negligence, unsafe speed and failure to maintain proper following distance. Attorneys say they have asked the companies to preserve electronic logging data, forward-facing camera footage and engine control module downloads. A DPS summary lists failure to control speed by the truck, and online court records show no criminal charges filed to date. In a statement, H-E-B called the crash tragic, said the driver was a vendor under contract, and said the grocer and contractor are cooperating fully with investigators. Whether distraction, fatigue or mechanical issues played a role has not been publicly determined.
Prior cases on Texas highways have hinged on what carriers knew about driver schedules, dispatch pressures and safety policies on moving over for disabled vehicles. Advocacy groups point to federal guidance requiring commercial drivers to manage speed, maintain distance and keep lanes clear when approaching hazards. Investigators in this case have not released a full reconstruction or any electronic records. The highway segment near Dalhart serves heavy truck traffic tied to regional agriculture, and rear-end collisions involving slowed vehicles remain a focus for troopers and local deputies.
In the civil case, the families seek more than $1 million and a jury trial. A judge could soon take up motions on preserving evidence and setting a discovery schedule. Depositions of the driver and corporate representatives would follow. If DPS completes its report, Hartley County prosecutors could review it for potential criminal charges, including criminally negligent homicide. No court dates have been announced, and company responses are expected in the weeks ahead. The timeline for a trial, if any, will depend on how quickly the court resolves early motions and expert witness disclosures.
Friends and relatives in the Houston area held vigils and shared photos of the four women, remembering them as steady, funny and quick to help. “You want justice for your family,” Williams said. Community pastors offered prayers at gatherings in neighborhood churches, while co-workers and classmates organized meal trains and assisted with funeral costs. Families said the video is painful to watch but believe it provides clarity about the final seconds on U.S. 87.
As of Thursday, DPS had not released a final report or timeline for completion. The civil lawsuit awaits initial scheduling, with the first substantive hearing expected later this winter in Bexar County.
Author note: Last updated January 8, 2026.