Families Mourn Prisoners Killed In Crash
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PENWELL (CBSDFW.COM) - Several North Texas families are grieving after ten people died in a West Texas prison bus crash.
NTSB investigators are still sifting through debris and examining the bus, which slid off I-20 and crashed into a train Wednesday morning.
Three corrections officers, one corrections staff member, and twelve prisoners were on board the transport from Middleton prison in Abilene to the Sanchez prison in El Paso.
Eight prisoners and two long-time veteran prison department officers, including the driver, were killed.
DPS investigators believe icy conditions were the primary cause of the crash.
Several of the offenders hurt or killed have tied to North Texas.
One of the men is 29-year-old Tyler Townsend of Benbrook.
"My heart goes out to all of [the families]. It is never easy. It isn't when you bury a baby – your baby," said Petra Townsend.
Petra received confirmation from a prison chaplain that her son was among the men who died.
Tyler Townsend was serving a sentence for evading arrest. He was scheduled to be released in January, 2016.
"Tyler was never a violent person at all," said Petra.
The mother says her son struggled with drugs.
"You fight that drug demon. That evil demon. You fight all that and you want to do good. I'm sure there was a struggle for him," she said.
Townsend's loving family stood by him, writing letters and making phone calls. His mother visited him in the El Paso correctional facility in October.
"We prayed. I'd see how his day went. I'd say, 'Ok, hang in there'," said Petra.
In time, she noticed a change in her son: a positive attitude. He turned to church and prison ministry, and in June 2014, Tyler Townsend was re-baptized, dedicating his life to his faith.
"He accepted God again and asked God for forgiveness for whatever he's done in his life," Petra said.
As she mourns the loss of her child, this mother takes comfort in knowing he was working on bettering his life.
"God has him at the most clean and unblemished moment in his life. His 29 years," Petra said.
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