Three storm chasers were killed when their vehicles collided at a rural crossroads during severe West Texas storms on Tuesday.
The storms spawned multiple funnel clouds and an occasional tornado in open areas of West Texas on Tuesday afternoon. No damage was reported.
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The crash happened at a remote intersection near the town of Spur, about 55 miles southeast of Lubbock. Tornadoes had been reported nearby at the time of the crash and heavy rain had been reported in the area, according to the National Weather Service.
The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the three storm chasers killed as Kelley Gene Williamson, 57, and Randall Delane Yarnall, 55, both of Cassville, Missouri, and Corbin Lee Jaeger, 25, of Peoria, Arizona.
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DPS Sgt. John Gonzalez said the Chevrolet Suburban driven by Williamson ran a stop sign and slammed into the Jeep driven by Yarnall. Jaeger was a passenger in Williamson’s vehicle. All three were killed instantly.
On Wednesday, the threat shifts eastward, and forecasters say about 19 million people in Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana could see stormy weather, including the possibility of strong tornadoes.