Authorities in the Texas Panhandle are investigating a tragic Sunday afternoon crash that claimed the life of a Hartley man along a busy stretch of U.S. Highway 87. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) says the fatal collision occurred shortly after 3 p.m., about one mile east of the Hartley city limits, after a vehicle entering the roadway was struck from behind by a pickup truck. The quiet rural area, familiar to local drivers, quickly turned into the scene of a devastating loss.
According to DPS investigators, the incident began when 33-year-old Daniel Jiminez of Hartley pulled onto the westbound lanes of US 87 from a private driveway in his 2015 Nissan Altima. As Jiminez merged onto the highway, a 2025 Ford F-350 traveling westbound approached from behind. For reasons still under review, the pickup collided with the rear of Jiminez’s car only moments after it entered traffic. The impact caused extensive damage to the smaller vehicle, leaving little chance for the driver to escape serious harm.
Emergency responders arrived quickly after the crash was reported, but despite their efforts, Jiminez was pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers said the severity of the collision left him with injuries that were not survivable. The driver of the Ford F-350, who has not been publicly identified, was treated by medical personnel at the scene and released shortly afterward. DPS noted that his injuries were minor and did not require hospital transport.
As part of the ongoing investigation, DPS troopers are working to reconstruct the events leading up to the crash. They will analyze physical evidence, measure the crash scene, and examine both vehicles to determine how factors such as speed, visibility, and reaction time may have influenced the outcome. Investigators are also reviewing roadway conditions and interviewing the surviving driver to create a clear picture of what occurred in the moments before the collision.
Rear-end crashes on rural highways can be especially dangerous, particularly when one vehicle is moving at highway speed and another is accelerating from a stop. DPS officials say they will evaluate whether the pickup driver had sufficient time to react, and whether environmental factors—such as lighting, shadows, or roadside obstructions—may have contributed. High-speed roads like US 87 often pose challenges for drivers entering from private property, where fast-moving traffic can approach more quickly than expected.
The Hartley community is now mourning the loss of Jiminez, a local resident whose sudden passing has left family, friends, and neighbors grieving. DPS has not announced when its full investigative report will be finalized, noting that such cases often take weeks to complete. For now, the investigation remains active, and officials say additional updates will be released as more information becomes available about the circumstances surrounding the fatal Sunday afternoon crash.
