Two die in unrelated wrecks over weekend

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July 9, 2012

Two die in unrelated wrecks over weekend

Brian Smith CNHI The Weatherford Democrat Mon Jul 09, 2012, 08:00 AM CDT

PARKER COUNTY — Two men, one a former investigator with the Parker County Sheriff’s Department, were killed in separate incidents overnight Friday.

The first occurred around 8:30 p.m. Friday on State Highway 199, two miles east of Springtown. According to Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Lonny Haschel, Terry Hampton, 50, of Springtown was driving a homemade go-kart on a private drive when he struck a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander driven by Andrew Smith of Azle, who was westbound on 199.

Hampton was transported to Harris Hospital in Azle where he died just before 9 p.m. of blunt force trauma to the head and chest according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s preliminary report. Smith was not injured.

The second accident occurred on Farm-to-Market Road 1189 3.1 miles south of Brock. According to Haschel, Sammy Slatten, 45, of Lipan was driving a 2007 Ford F-250 pickup southbound on 1189 when for unknown reasons the vehicle went into the east ditch, causing the vehicle to overturn.

Slatten, who had just recently gone to work for the District Attorney’s office in Stephenville after many years with Parker County Sheriff’s Department, was pronounced dead at the scene of blunt force trauma to the head just before 3 a.m. Saturday. Slatten was not wearing a seat belt.

Both cases are still under investigation, Haschel said. Investigators are still awaiting the result of toxicology reports but alcohol was not thought to be a factor in either accident.

Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said Saturday morning that Slatten’s death has been an ordeal for the department. Fowler said Slatten had worked both patrol and investigations with the department. He had been working with the Criminal Investigation Division on crimes against children when he left the department.

“He will be sorely missed,” Fowler said. “He was one of the most well-liked people. Always smiling and was excellent in working cases against children.”