Deadly Hill County Crash
Head-on collision on Hill County's Highway 171 kills six, including two children; investigation ongoing
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Key Points
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Authorities said the crash happened on State Highway 171 near FM 3155 (also described as between Bynum and Malone in Hill County), with the collision occurring shortly after 4:30 p.m. on June 20.
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Hill County Lt. Chris Jackson said the Hill County Sheriff’s Office communications center “received a call of a major accident shortly after 4.30pm on June 20,” and listed agencies that responded, including the Bynum Fire Department and Careflite EMS (and later additional fire/response personnel).
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A wider set of responders was dispatched beyond initial firefighting and EMS units, including the Penelope Fire Department, Hillsboro Fire/Rescue, Texas Department of Transportation, and Hill County Emergency Management.
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Local reporting said the roadway was still closed as of 9:30 p.m. Saturday, advising drivers to avoid the area, with DPS troopers continuing to investigate and expecting more information to be released later.
A head-on collision on State Highway 171 in Hill County, Texas killed six people — including two children — on the afternoon of June 20, after a northbound car crossed into oncoming traffic while attempting to pass another vehicle. Both vehicles caught fire and became fully engulfed in flames, according to Fox 7 Austin and CBS News.
A third child was pulled from the wreck and taken to a hospital with injuries described as not life-threatening. Six fatalities makes this one of the deadliest single crashes in Hill County's modern history. Victim identities have not been released, pending notification of next of kin.
Car Entered Oncoming Lane, Struck Van Head-On
The crash happened shortly after 4:30 p.m. near the intersection of SH 171 and FM 3155, between the small towns of Bynum and Malone, according to The Dallas Morning News. A Nissan passenger car heading north tried to pass another vehicle. It moved into the southbound lane and struck a van traveling the opposite direction.
Both vehicles caught fire on impact. First responders from the Bynum Volunteer Fire Department arrived to find both cars fully engulfed. The closing speed in a rural head-on collision like this is often above 140 mph, making survival extremely unlikely, according to traffic safety analysts. One child survived and was stabilized at the scene before transport.
Seven Agencies Raced to the Rural Crash Scene
Hill County Lt. Chris Jackson said the Sheriff's Office communications center "received a call of a major accident shortly after 4:30 p.m." on June 20. He described the response as a multi-agency effort. Units from the Bynum Fire Department, Penelope Fire Department, Hillsboro Fire/Rescue, CareFlite EMS, Texas DPS troopers, TxDOT, and Hill County Emergency Management all responded, according to Daily Mail.
Texas DPS troopers took command of the crash reconstruction. The road was shut down in both directions. As of 9:30 p.m., State Highway 171 remained closed, with authorities advising drivers to avoid the area entirely. The closure lasted more than six hours, according to Fox 4 News.
A Two-Lane Highway With a Deadly Passing History
The stretch of SH 171 between Bynum and Malone is a two-lane, undivided rural highway. It has no physical barrier between opposing lanes. Passing maneuvers require drivers to enter oncoming traffic. This design is common on rural Texas roads but creates serious risk when drivers misjudge the distance or speed of oncoming vehicles.
Hill County consistently ranks among the top counties in the Heart of Texas region for rural traffic deaths per capita. Texas rural highways have seen a 12% rise in fatal head-on crashes over the last decade. Safety advocates have pushed for "Super 2" upgrades — designs that add periodic passing lanes so drivers do not need to cross into oncoming traffic — but SH 171 has not been included in any current TxDOT upgrade plans.
Community Grief and Calls for Road Safety Action
Bynum has a population of roughly 200 people. Malone has about 300. Losing six residents — including two children — in a single crash is a significant blow to both communities. Local residents and social media users have called on TxDOT to lower speed limits and add centerline rumble strips to the corridor. Many describe the highway as a "gauntlet" during busy afternoon hours.
Local officials expressed grief but stopped short of policy commitments, saying they are waiting for DPS to complete its investigation. The crash is expected to trigger a mandatory TxDOT safety review of the SH 171 and FM 3155 corridor. According to National Safety Council estimates, the total economic cost of six traffic fatalities exceeds $10 million for a community the size of Hill County.
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