North Texas man dies while shielding girlfriend during head-on crash
NTX man killed protecting girlfriend during crash
A Watauga man likely saved his girlfriend’s life when an SUV hit them head-on, killing him and the other driver. His girlfriend is now fighting for her life in the hospital while also dealing with his death.
FORT WORTH, Texas – A North Texas man likely saved his girlfriend’s life when an SUV hit them head-on, killing him and the other driver.
His girlfriend isn’t out of the woods just yet. She’s in the hospital fighting for her life while also grieving the loss of her boyfriend.
What we know:
The fatal crash happened last Friday around 3 p.m. on Highway 281 in Erath County.
According to the DPS crash report, 63-year-old Karen Huey, from Hood County, was heading north on 281 when she “failed to drive in a single lane” and crashed into a Cadillac, killing herself and the other driver.
Investigators say 21-year-old Jaelen Green, from Watauga, was driving the Cadillac. He did not survive the crash.
His girlfriend, 22-year-old Nicole Doggett, from Georgetown, was seriously injured and rushed to a Fort Worth hospital.
Watauga Man’s Heroic Actions
What they’re saying:
Kai Ward is Doggett’s roommate and knew the couple well.
“He was a really great guy. He treated Nicole really well,” he said.
Now, Ward and a group of supporters are rallying around Doggett in her recovery and grief. He says while she is improving physically, the road ahead of her is long and emotional.
Ward believes before he died, Green was trying to shield Doggett.
“Nicole said the car the car actually lost so much control, they got hit from the back end of the car, and the driver side took all the impact. Jae was driving,” he said. “In his last moments, he tried to shield Nicole, and we think that’s probably what saved her.”
Ward says Doggett takes care of her younger brother, and the emotional challenge is difficult for them all.
“She’s going to be out of work. Got to take care of him, and we’ve got to figure out how to take care of her,” he said. “It’s just a lot to try to figure out. We’re all really young, and it’s a lot. We’re just trying to do our best.”
What we don’t know:
DPS investigators haven’t determined what caused Huey to lose control and crash into Green and Doggett. They also haven’t indicated if they believe Huey had a medical emergency or was impaired while driving.
