Darrell Luke ID’d as Man Killed in Upton County Crash on Highway 349 near Rankin

Upton County, Texas (July 12, 2019) – The Texas Department of Public Safety has identified the man who was killed Wednesday morning in a three-car accident in Upton County.

Darrell Luke of Washington died in the wreck that occurred at about 6:20 a.m. Wednesday, July 10 on Highway 349, approximately 10 miles north of Rankin.

According to the DPS report, Nicholas Gomez was driving a Ford F-150 on Highway 349 when he fell asleep at the wheel and collided with a GMC Acadia and a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Luke, who was a passenger in the Jeep, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Jeep, Orvil Lugo, and a passenger in the Acadia, Jonathan Allen, were taken to Upton County Hospital in Rankin with unspecified injuries.

Gomez sustained non-incapacitating injuries and was taken to Midland Memorial Hospital. The driver of the Acadia, Dustin Howell, was transported to ORMC with non-incapacitating injuries.

No further details were immediately available.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.