31-year-old Man Struck & Killed by 18-Wheeler in the Dark Tuesday Evening

HAWLEY, TX – A 31-year-old Bedford, TX man was struck and killed by a passing 18-wheeler as he walked along a highway near Hawley in Jones County Tuesday night. 

According to an accident report from the Texas Department of Public Safety, a passenger car was parked on the shoulder of US 83 about a mile north of Hawley facing north.  

31-year-old Ezekiel Ortega got out of the car and was walking in the traffic lane when a 2017 Kenworth tractor trailer driven by Owen Othell O'Kelly, 69, of Trent, TX was nearing the area.  Ortega walked into the traffic lane and was struck and killed by the 18-wheeler. 

O'Kelly couldn't avoid the impact because there was another vehicle in the other lane.  

Ortega was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:08 p.m. by Jones County Justice of the Peace  Cheryl Guernsey.

O'Kelly was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured.