Georgia family, including 2 kids, among 6 killed in Johnson County head-on crash
CLEBURNE, Texas - Two children from Georgia were among the six people killed in a head-on crash in North Texas.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said the accident happened around 4 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. Highway 67 near County Road 1119 near Cleburne in Johnson County.
A family from Alpharetta, Georgia was heading north in a minivan just as two teens from Glen Rose, Texas, were heading south in a pickup truck.
DPS investigators said the teens crossed into oncoming traffic in a "no passing" area and hit the minivan head-on.
Six of the seven people in the minivan were killed.
The driver was identified as 28-year-old Rushil Barri of Irving.
DPS also released the names of the five passengers killed in the crash, who were all from Alpharetta, Georgia, outside Atlanta.
- Naveena Potabathula, 36, female
- Nageswararao Ponnada, 64, male
- Sitamahalakshmi Ponnada, 60, female
- Krithik Potabathula, 10, male
- Nishidha Potabathula, 9, female
The sole survivor in the minivan was 43-year-old Lokesh Potabathula of Georgia. He was taken to a Fort Worth hospital with critical injuries.
The two teens in the pickup truck were identified as 17-year-old Luke Resecker and 17-year-old Preston Glass.
They also suffered critical injuries and were taken to Fort Worth hospitals. Investigators have not yet been able to interview them.
"This was a no passing zone. Will charges be coming because of this crash? It’s too early to say right now. We don’t know what caused the vehicle to cross into the northbound lane," said DPS Sgt. William Lockridge.
Investigators said most of the people involved in the crash were not wearing seatbelts.
The speed limit in that area is 70 miles per hour.
Crash Victims: What we know
Ayyappoala Naidu Bandaru grew up in India with the driver of the minivan, Rushil Barri. The two moved to the United States to earn master’s degrees.
"He’s a very good motivator," he said.
Bandaru said Barri had taken his visiting family members on a day trip to a wildlife center in Somervale County just before the accident happened.
Lokesh, the sole survivor in the minivan, is Barri's cousin. His loss is unimaginable.
Lokesh’s wife and two kids died in the crash. His father-in-law and mother-in-law also died.
The Telugu Association of North America is working to transport the remains of victims to India where family members live.
"Right now, we are authorized by both the families to send the human remains to India," said Ashok Kolla with the Telugu Association of North America. "We want to do it as soon as possible in the next 24-36 hours."
Rushil Barri
Bandaru said he was with everyone in the van at Barri’s apartment before they went to the wildlife center. Bandaru stayed behind.
"This was his place," he said. "We all were here."
The children’s backpacks are still there with pictures they recently colored. They had a group dinner.
"Even I am in a concept that he went to some other place. He’ll be back soon," Bandaru said.
Bandaru said Barri’s mother in India quite literally cannot believe it.
"She’s telling us that, ‘Don’t worry. He’s safe.’ We know that he’s no more, but she is not accepting it," he said.