Gladewater, TX — September 20, 2025, Kaylee Perez was injured and a man was killed due to a car accident at approximately 12:30 a.m. along U.S. Highway 271.

According to authorities, 20-year-old Kaylee Perez was traveling in a northeast bound Hyundai Elantra on U.S. 271 in the vicinity between the Buckelew Road and McCormic Road intersections when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, a southwest bound Dodge Avenger occupied by a 31-year-old man from Quinlan was apparently traveling in the northeast bound lane of the highway. A collision consequently occurred between the Elantra and the Avenger.

The man who had been behind the wheel of the Avenger reportedly sustained fatal injuries over the course of the accident; Perez suffered serious injuries, as well, reports state. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When two vehicles collide head-on in the middle of the night, the first details rarely explain why one driver ended up in the wrong lane. A crash like this is more than a tragic outcome—it’s a signal that something went wrong well before the impact.

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?

With one person killed and another seriously injured, the investigation should go beyond documenting the collision point. Did investigators reconstruct the Dodge Avenger’s movements to determine when and how it entered the northeast-bound lane? Was speed estimated, or evidence of evasive maneuvers documented for either driver? Without a detailed reconstruction, the official account risks being reduced to little more than “wrong lane, head-on crash” when the real story could be far more complex.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?

When a car drifts or swerves into oncoming traffic, a mechanical issue may be at play. A steering malfunction, sudden brake failure, or a tire blowout could force a driver across lanes in seconds. On the other side, if the Hyundai Elantra’s safety systems—such as lane-departure warning or automatic emergency braking—were present but failed to activate, that would also be relevant. Unless both vehicles are inspected closely, the potential role of a defect remains an open question.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

Both vehicles likely carry event data recorders that can log speed, steering input, braking activity, and seatbelt usage before the collision. Phones or GPS systems may also provide a timeline of the drivers’ actions before impact. And given the stretch of U.S. 271 involved, nearby businesses or traffic cameras could offer visual confirmation of what led to the crash. If this evidence isn’t preserved early, it may already be lost.

Head-on crashes don’t happen without cause. The wreckage tells part of the story, but the real answers depend on whether investigators dig into the evidence that explains how two vehicles ended up on the same stretch of road at the same time, traveling toward disaster.

Takeaways:

• A head-on crash requires full reconstruction of both vehicles’ movements.
• Steering, brake, or tire failures could have caused a sudden lane departure.
• Electronic data and camera footage may hold the clearest timeline of events.