CROWLEY, Texas — Family members and the U.S. Marine Corps community across the country are mourning the loss of a Crowley couple who was killed in a wrong-way crash on Chisholm Trail Parkway shortly after midnight on Sunday.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims as 35-year-old Kristen Huddleston and 42-year-old Jared Huddleston.
According to Fort Worth police, they responded to a major accident call at 12:45 a.m. in the 1800 block of the highway, near Altamesa Boulevard and Harris Parkway.
Officials believe a vehicle was traveling in the wrong lanes when it collided with an SUV. Police said both people in the SUV were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the suspected wrong-way vehicle, 27-year-old Andrew Adamson, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He’s in police custody and detectives are filing the case with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office, according to FWPD.
NOTE: The following video was uploaded on Dec. 3
Kristen Huddleston’s father, Rafael Ortiz, spoke with WFAA and described her as a caring mom, dedicated Marine, and goal-setter.The couple had moved to Texas to live closer to Ortiz and build a life together. Ortiz, who has four adult children (including Kristen), said his hope was for all of them to live in the same state. Kristen was the first to make the move to Texas.
“She had so many dreams, aspirations” Ortiz said.
The newlywed couple both had children and were both former Marines. Ortiz said Kristen was a dedicated mother to her two daughters. She was in school, working toward becoming a therapist and helping other former Marines make the transition to civilian life.
"That growing process was great to see, and it was snatched away," Ortiz said. “It’s hard. It still doesn’t seem real. I just spoke to her four, five hours before."
According to Ortiz, the couple was on their way home from attending a reunion with other fellow Marines on the night of the accident.
They never made it to the newly-built Crowley home the proud homeowners moved into last month.
“The excitement of seeing her become that woman you always want your daughter to become… now knowing there’s no more hope for that... is just devastating,” Ortiz said. “You should never have to bury your children.”
Ortiz described his daughter and son-in-law as soulmates with witty personalities.
“They were happy. That’s the happiest I’ve seen my daughter as an adult,” Ortiz said. “They’re still happy together. Couldn’t separate them.”
According to Ortiz, Jared’s friends have launched a GoFundMe to support the family.
Stephanie Reynolds, one of Jared's friends, organized the GoFundMe.
"It is a tragedy to lose someone like him," Reynolds said. There are so many memories wrapped up in them for so many of us. Their brothers and sisters in the U.S. Marine Corps love them and are thinking of the family."