Stratford tragedy: 20-year-old Myunique Johnson passes in crash near Dalhart
In the region near Dalhart, Texas, the community of Stratford is reeling after the devastating loss of 20-year-old Myunique Johnson, who passed in a two-vehicle crash on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) report that the collision occurred around 1:40 p.m. on U.S. 87, approximately ten miles south of Dalhart in Hartley County. (KVII)
Myunique Johnson was driving a 2020 Nissan Altima southbound on U.S. 87 when she apparently experienced a flat tire and was proceeding at a slow rate of speed. The DPS preliminary crash report indicates that a southbound semi‐tractor-trailer rig, driven by Daniel Villarreal Guadalupe, 39, of Converse, Texas, failed to control its speed and rear-ended Johnson’s vehicle. The impact was catastrophic. (https://www.newschannel10.com)
Johnson, a resident of Stratford, was accompanied in the Altima by three passengers: 18-year-old Lakeisha Brown of Galveston, 31-year-old Breanna Brantley of Rosharon, and 28-year-old Taylor White of Missouri City. Tragically, all four occupants of the vehicle were pronounced deceased at the scene. (Amarillo)
The driver of the semi, Daniel Villarreal Guadalupe, was transported to Coon Memorial Hospital in Dalhart with non-life-threatening injuries and is cooperating with investigators. (High Plains Observer) Investigators from the DPS are treating the incident as a serious fatal crash and have launched a full investigation into contributing factors, including but not limited to vehicle speed, the flat tire situation in Johnson’s car, driver reaction, roadway conditions and tire failure. (https://www.newschannel10.com)
Early details note the weather and road conditions were clear and dry at the time of the crash, and the posted speed limit on that stretch of U.S. 87 is 75 mph. (High Plains Observer) The fact that the Altima was moving slowly due to a flat tire and was struck from behind underscores how vulnerable victims of rear-end collisions can be, especially when a heavy commercial vehicle is involved.
For the community of Stratford, Johnson’s passing has sent waves of shock and grief. While public details about her personal life, schooling or employment have not been widely shared, the loss of a young woman in her prime, with so much potential ahead of her, has hit home. Local friends described her as full of warmth and laughter, someone who touched the lives of those around her.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, local residents and safety officials alike emphasized the broader implications of the crash. Heavy trucks traveling at high speed behind slower-moving vehicles—even when the latter are slowing because of mechanical issues like a flat—create a hazard. The DPS investigators plan to examine black-box data, driver logs for the truck, tire failure records for the Altima, and any dash-cam or roadside camera footage. They are also appealing to any witnesses who may have noticed the Altima’s flat tire earlier, or the semi’s approach, to come forward.
In the meantime, Stratford and surrounding communities are rallying around the families affected. Vigils, memorials and online tributes have been shared, honoring Johnson and the other three young women lost in the crash. Local churches and community groups are offering emotional and practical support for their grieving families.
In summary: On Wednesday afternoon, on U.S. 87 about ten miles south of Dalhart, 20-year-old Myunique Johnson of Stratford and her three passengers tragically passed when their Nissan Altima, slowed due to a flat tire, was struck from behind by a semi-tractor-trailer whose driver failed to control his speed. The crash remains under thorough investigation by the Texas DPS. The community mourns Johnson’s passing and remembers her as a bright young woman whose life ended far too soon.