Published: November 21, 2008 10:07 pm      

Wreck claims two teens

Two killed, one hurt in aftermath of Thursday accident

From Staff Reports



A candlelight vigil is planned for 7:30 p.m. today at Griffin-Roughton Funeral Home for two teenagers killed in a two-car accident Thursday evening near Kerens.

Jacob Madden Darby, 17, and Aaron Jefferson Tesmer, 17, both died in the wreck that occurred just before 8 p.m. Thursday two miles west of Kerens on State Highway 31.

According to the Department of Public Safety report on the accident, the two were headed west in a Honda Civic driven by Darby when their vehicle drove across the turn lane in the center median and into the left lane of on-coming traffic. Their vehicle was hit by an eastbound Ford F-350 driven by Robert Duane Carpenter, 23, of Corsicana. A passenger in Carpenter’s truck, Anthony Wayne Skinner, 22, of Corsicana, was taken to Navarro Regional Hospital by private vehicle with minor injuries, the report said.

Grief counselors were on hand Friday morning at Corsicana High School to help classmates deal with the pair’s deaths. About 100 students took part in the counseling, according to Rob Ludwig, CISD spokesman.

Funeral services for the two have been arranged with Griffin-Roughton Funeral Home.

Services for Darby will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Griffin-Roughton Funeral Home. A visitation is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. today.

Services for Tesmer will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church. A visitation is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Griffin-Roughton Funeral Home.

DPS troopers investigated another fatality accident on State Highway 31 Friday in the western part of the county near Silver City.

Pamela Whitcomb, 51, of Purdon died following a one-car accident that occurred about 4:15 p.m. Friday.

Three other family members were in the vehicle with Whitcomb. Two were taken by air ambulance to Dallas area hospitals, while a third was taken to a Waco hospital.

See Sunday’s online and print editions of the Daily Sun for more on this story.