FRANKLIN, Texas (AP) - A jury that decided a Texas A&M student
was texting while driving and caused a deadly wreck ordered him to
pay $22 million in damages.
The victim, Megan Small of Houston, was a senior at Baylor
University and was driving to Waco when the November 2007 accident
happened near Calvert.
The investigation indicated a vehicle driven by Reed Vestal
crossed the center line and struck Small's vehicle head-on near
Calvert. Phone records indicated Vestal sent and received 15 texts
and made seven calls in the 45 minutes before the wreck.
The damages will be shared with Small's friend Laura Gleffe, who
was driving another car that rolled during the crash.
Small family attorney Hunter Craft says Vestal declared
bankruptcy prior to the civil trial in Franklin.
An attorney for Vestal did not immediate comment on Wednesday's
verdict.