SMITH COUNTY, Texas — **EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from May 4, 2021.
Four people are dead and one person was injured following a Sunday evening head-on collision on Highway 31 East in Smith County.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the crash occurred around 4:45 p.m. on Highway 31 E. between County Road 245 and County Road 246, just west of Country Tavern.
The preliminary crash report indicates the driver of a Nissan, identified as Marcellia Jones, 36, of Henderson, was traveling east on Highway 31, when for an unknown reason, the vehicle traveled into the westbound lane and struck a Cadillac, driven by Genous Lee Jackson, 44, of Longview, head-on.
Jones was pronounced dead at the scene and was taken to a Tyler funeral home.
Jackson was taken to a Tyler hospital and is in serious condition
Passengers in Jackson's vehicle, identified as Katashia Shari Porter, 34, of Arlington, a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old were pronounced dead at the scene. Their bodies were taken to a local mortuary.
Authorities closed Highway 31 E. from the Tyler city limits to Farm-to-Market Road 757 due to the crash.
The crash remains under investigation at this time.
On Saturday, May 1, a crash, also on Highway 31 E., claimed the life of a Tyler High School senior.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, around 10:45 p.m., troopers responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 31 E., approximately eight miles east of Tyler.
The investigators preliminary report indicates the driver of a passenger car, identified as Talia Janae Smith, 20, of Tyler, was traveling west on Highway 31 E. when she lost control of the vehicle, possibly due to weather conditions, and traveled into oncoming traffic. DPS says Smith struck a pickup, driven by Logan Qualls, 18, of Winona.
Smith's passenger Patrianna Damrye Pettigrew, 18, of Tyler, was pronounced dead at the scene and her body was taken to a local funeral home. Smith was taken to a local hospital and is in critical condition.