NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Cover photo courtesy: GoFundMe
UPDATE: According to the DPS, the others killed were Naveena Potabathula, 36, Nageswararao Ponnada, 64, Sitamahalakshmi Ponnada, 60, Krithik Potabathula, 10, Nishidha Potabathula, 9.
Kruthik was a 6th-grade student at Autrey Mill Middle School. His sister Nishi, was a 4th grade student at Dolvin Elementary.
The Autrey Mill principal, in an email sent out earlier today, broke the news of the tragic death of its student.
“It is with a heavy heart that I reach out to you today with tragic news. It saddens me to announce the death of Kruthik Potabathula, 6th grade student at Autrey Mill MS,” the email said. Kruthik and his family were in a terrible car accident in Texas on December 26th. His sister Nishi, 4th grade student at Dolvin ES has also died, as well as Nishi and Kruthik’s mother, Naveena.
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Alpharetta, GA, December 27, 2023: In a devastating incident that occurred on December 28, an Alpharetta family is grappling with the loss of several of its members in a head-on collision along US Highway 67 in the Nemo area of Texas. The tragic crash, involving a Chevrolet Silverado truck and a Honda Odyssey van, claimed the lives of six individuals, including two children aged 9 and 10, while three others sustained critical injuries.
The victims, ranging in age from 9 to 64 years old, were all occupants of the Honda Odyssey van, and some of them were identified as five members of a single family from Alpharetta, Georgia. The injured victims were airlifted to John Peter Smith Hospital and Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital, with 26-year-old Lokesh Potabathula of Alpharetta listed in critical condition at Harris Health in Fort Worth.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is collaborating with Georgia State Police to locate and notify families of the victims, emphasizing the need for support and prayers for those affected by this tragic incident.
The collision occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time in the Nemo area, about 70 miles southwest of Dallas. Preliminary investigations by DPS revealed that the Chevrolet Silverado truck, driven by a 17-year-old male from Glen Rose, Texas, entered the northbound lane in a no-passing zone, resulting in a head-on collision with the Honda Odyssey van.
Authorities temporarily shut down US Highway 67 in both directions for several hours to examine the devastating scene. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office described it as a “devastating scene” and requested prayers for the families of the deceased and injured in a Facebook post.
As investigations continue, it remains unclear why the truck crossed into the northbound lane. Troopers have indicated that it could have been an attempt to pass another vehicle or make a turn. The critical condition of the truck’s passenger has impeded investigators from obtaining further details.
The tragic incident has left the community in shock, emphasizing the importance of road safety and the need for support for the affected families during this difficult time.
