Nacogdoches ISD offering grief counselors to friends of student killed in crash

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - Two people were killed in a three-vehicle crash in Smith County.

About 7:10 p.m. Sunday, Texas Department of Public Saftey troopers responded to a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 20, about seven miles east of Winona in Smith County.

A preliminary DPS crash investigation shows Ross Tyler Campbell, 21, of Olla, Louisiana, was driving a 2014 Ford F-150 and traveling east on I-20 when he failed to notice traffic slowing ahead. His vehicle collided with a 2019 Chevrolet TRAX, driven by Dale John Bellard Jr., 44, of Nacogdoches, who was traveling with family.

Bellard’s vehicle then struck a 2013 Audi 6PL, driven by Donald Edward Tiller, 51, of Fort Worth.

Bellard Jr. was transported to a hospital. A passenger in his vehicle, Quondaila Christine Bellard, 40, of Nacogdoches, was pronounced dead at the scene. A second passenger, Elyssa Arlene Bellard, 18, of Nacogdoches, was transported to a hospital where she later died.

Cambell and Tiller were not injured in the crash.

Elyssa Bellard was a 2019 graduate of Nacogdoches High School.

Nacogdoches High School announced Tuesday that administrators are offering counseling to students in wake of the incident.

“Our condolences and thoughts go out to the family and friends of our student,” the school stated on their Facebook page.

A counseling team will available to students and additional support teams may be called in from elsewhere in the district. The school said the counseling center will be open before the school year begins as well as during the academic year.

“Such an incident can have a profound effect on a student. Anytime death touches us it is extremely stressful,” the school statement reads.

The high school reminded parents to keep an eye on their students and monitor their communications to “further assess their potential needs.” Parents are urged to discuss with their students about their feelings and how they are coping.

The school stated funeral arrangements have not been finalized at this time.

The crash remains under investigation by DPS.

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