VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas — **EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story misidentified Taylor Raper as Rachel. This information was given to us by DPS, and has been changed to reflect the official correction.
An East Texas teen is dead after a head-on crash in Van Zandt County.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, around 10:10 a.m. on Friday, troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Farm-to-Market Road 1651, about 10 miles south of Canton.
The preliminary investigation indicates a pickup driven by Alfonso Medina, 17, of Canton was traveling west FM 1651. At the same time, a car, driven by Taylor Raper, 18, of Canton, was traveling east on FM 1651.
Officials say Medina recognized Raper's vehicle, and knew her as an acquaintance. He then swerved over the center stripe divider toward Raper's car in attempt to scare her. That's when DPS says Medina struck Raper's car.
Medina and passenger, Rachel Bice, 22, of Canton, were taken to a local hospital in serious condition.
Medina has been charged with manslaughter and providing a false statement to law enforcement officers. He has been booked into the Van Zandt County detention center.
Raper was taken to a Tyler hospital were she was pronounced dead.
The crash remains under investigation.
A GoFundMe for the victim's family can be found here.
