Bloomfield, NM : Head-On Crash Kills Denton County Family of Four in northwestern New Mexico Friday night on August 8, 2014
A wrong-way crash took the lives of an Argyle family of four in northwestern New Mexico Friday night.
Police said their van was struck head-on by a pickup truck that veered into their lane.
A community filled with heavy hearts gathered at Argyle United Methodist Church Sunday evening to remember the Miller family. For many in attendance, the magnitude of the tragedy was only beginning to sink in.
Mike and LeAnn Miller and their children — 12-year-old Zoey and seven-year-old Miles — were fixtures at the church.
The four were returning from a family vacation Friday night when their van was struck head-on along a remote highway by a pickup truck. State police characterized truck driver Brian Lee, 24, as "sleepy."
Lee survived the impact, but the Millers died. LeAnn's brother, Craig Lieber, described getting the shocking news early Saturday morning.
"My wife said, 'LeAnn was in a car accident, she is gone. They're all gone.' And I said, 'What does that mean?"'
Lieber and other family members attended the vigil on Sunday while the Miller's older son, Cory, traveled to New Mexico to recover the bodies
The family's pastor back in Argyle said the larger community is simply at a loss for words.
"When a large part of a family dies in this way, it is hard," said The Rev. Chris Schoolcraft, pastor at Argyle United Methodist Church. "The shock wave of that just fills the community, and there's a lot of questions and a lot of pain."
Zoey and Miles both went to local Argyle schools. Counseling for classmates will be available Monday at Hilltop Elementary starting at 11 a.m.
Brandon Lee, the driver of the pickup truck, has not been charged in connection with the crash but the investigation is continuing.
Source :
Vigil for Argyle family killed in New Mexico crash