On April 9, 2019 at 5:11 PM, APD officers were dispatched to a crash in the 3300 block of South Soncy Road. A 2006 Range Rover was on its side against a tree when officers arrived. The driver, Martin Kenneth Smith, a 61 year old male of Amarillo, had been southbound on Soncy in the right hand lane. Smith lost control of his vehicle, struck a curb, rolled on its side, struck a tree, then struck a second tree. Smith was transported to a local area hospital and later died as a result of injuries received in the crash. Speed as well as driver distraction are factors in this collision. The incident is being investigated by the Traffic Investigation Squad of the Amarillo Police Department.
APD would like to remind everyone that there are laws in place that prohibit reading, writing, and sending electronic messages while driving. These laws are in place to protect you as well as other drivers on our roadways. To often we see drivers swerving and causing or almost causing an accident for nothing more than reading or sending a text message. This practice has got to stop. That message is not more important than your life or another innocent life on our roadways.
