WICHITA COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) — Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety have released the identity of two individuals who died early Sunday morning, May 14, 2023, following a collision involving multiple vehicles.

According to Sgt. Marc Couch with DPS, the crash occurred at 2:10 a.m. on Sunday, May 14, 2023, about 0.5 miles west of Wichita Falls on U.S. Highway 287.

Sgt. Couch said a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe had been involved in a separate crash earlier in the morning and was disabled in the northbound lanes. He said the vehicle’s lights weren’t working.

The DPS initial accident report said a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban driven by John Michael Christopherson, 24, of Midlothian, arrived at the scene and pulled over to the shoulder to aide the driver and passenger of the Tahoe.

Photo credit: KFDX/KJTL

According to Sgt. Couch, a truck tractor towing a semi-trailer was traveling northbound on U.S. 287 and approached the previous crash scene, where the Suburban was parked on the right shoulder and the Tahoe was disabled in the left lane.

The driver of the truck tractor saw the Suburban on the right shoulder and moved into the left-hand lane to give space for the Suburban, but failed to see the disabled Tahoe in the left-hand lane. The truck tractor struck the Tahoe first, then struck the suburban.

According to Sgt. Couch, the driver and passenger of the Tahoe were ejected from the vehicle following the impact.

Sgt. Couch said Francisco Sanchez Sustaita, 45, the driver of the Tahoe, and Rocio Rodriguez Hernandez, 43, the passenger in the Tahoe, both of Chillicothe, were pronounced dead at the scene at 2:12 a.m. on Sunday, May 14, 2023.

According to Sgt. Couch, Christopherson, who stopped to aid the disabled vehicle, was transported to United Regional with incapacitating injuries.

Sgt. Couch said the driver of the truck tractor, Rodney Mitchell Cary, 68, of Irving, and the passenger of the truck tractor, John Evan Poore, 59, of Holliday, were both transported to United Regional with incapacitating injuries.

According to Sgt. Couch, rain and the lack of visibility were contributing factors to this crash that killed two and hospitalized three.

U.S. 287 was required to be shut down for several hours on Sunday, May 14, between the intersections with F.M. 369 and Rifle Range Road, as authorities worked to investigate the scene.

This is a developing news story. Stick with Texoma’s Homepage for updates as more information becomes available.