A 15-year-old remains in a coma after the SUV his grandmother was driving collided with a large piece of farm equipment Tuesday near Abbott.
The woman was eastbound on FM 1242 in Hill County near HCR 3110 North when she approached that equipment called a spray rig that was headed westbound. The investigating trooper said driver of the rig moved onto the shoulder to give the GMC Yukon more room.
The woman veered onto the shoulder on her side of the road, then over-corrected and slid into that bigger vehicle creating a pile of twisted metal.
Jonathan Vallon had very little physical damage to his body, according to his father, Jeff Vallon, but "he is in a coma and unresponsive."
"I think prayers are what will bring him out of this," Vallon said.
The 75-year-old grandmother, Marcella Kiely, suffered a broken hip, eight broken ribs and a laceration on her liver, but she is recovering, according to Vallon.
Trooper D.L. Wilson said the grandmother and teen were airlifted to a hospital. He said both were wearing their seat belt, and that may have saved their lives.
The driver of that farm equipment was not injured. "He didn't do anything wrong, and moved over as far as he could," the dad said.
Hillsboro Fire and Rescue, Abbott Volunteer Fire Department, West EMS and Care Flight air and ground responded to the crash.
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