It’s been a dangerous week for Brown County drivers, with four people in just one week being airlifted to Hendrick Medical Center for treatment of injuries sustained in separate motor vehicle accidents and one of these has passed away today.
According to Brownwood Police Department accident reports, 30-year-old Cassietta Desiree Denson was airlifted for treatment of incapacitating injuries sustained when her vehicle crashed into a dumpster and then sideswiped a large tree in the 2300 block of Magnolia Street around 8:27pm Friday night, November 4th. The report states that her vehicle was “traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed” and that the driver “lost control and jumped up on the south curb and struck a dumpster.” The vehicle then was reported to have traveled up over the curb and into a grassy area and struck a large tree, impacting the driver’s side of the vehicle. Denson was airlifted to Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene where she passed away Monday afternoon, according to hospital officials.
Friends of Denson stated that she worked at the VFW Post 3278 in Brownwood. The VFW Post is taking donations for the family. Friends of “Cassi” stated that she leaves behind a husband and two children.
On Saturday, two motorcyclists in separate accidents had to be airlifted due to their injuries.
The first accident was at 1:00pm on Hwy 183N just north of the community of Owens near the intersection of County Road 405 where the driver, David Harrell of Yukon, Oklahoma, suddenly crashed. According to Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper John Moody, witnesses stated that Harrell was going the speed limit and suddenly went on his side. Trooper Moody stated that the investigation showed that Harrell was driving in the center of his lane, no mechanical problems could be found with the motorcycle, no other cars were involved and the cause is unknown; however high wind or diabetic complications could be involved, according to officials. Trooper Martin Malotsky is leading the investigation; however was not available for comment. Harrell was airlifted to Hendricks shortly after the accident in critical condition and has been upgraded to fair condition as of Monday afternoon.
The second motorcycle accident on Saturday night occurred when a passenger car traveling northbound in the 100 block of Austin Avenue was turning left onto Center Avenue and failed to yield the right of way to motorcyclist 28-year-old Todd Cole Mossman of Brownwood. Mossman was traveling southbound on Austin Avenue when he was struck by the passenger car. Mossman was said to have incapacitating injuries; however he was conscious at the time of the accident according to witnesses on scene. He was airlifted to Hendricks in critical condition and upgraded to fair condition as of Monday afternoon.
In an unrelated accident, 50-year-old Stanley Arlege of Brownwood was airlifted Tuesday afternoon around 4:00pm after having a one-vehicle accident; his older Chevrolet pickup struck a tree on Avenue K near 10th Street around 3:30pm. Arledge arrived at Hendrick Medical Center Tuesday and remains in critical condition.
Hendrick Public Relations Coordinator Lynn Bruton confirmed the status of all patients above and stated “It is unusual to have that many trauma patients coming in from Brownwood. It’s been a dangerous week.”
