LUFKIN, TEXAS — A community is reeling after a heartbreaking and preventable tragedy claimed the life of a 6-year-old boy in the early hours of Sunday morning. The child, whose name has not been publicly released, died after a pickup truck crashed through a porch on Oakwood Drive in Lufkin, striking him around 1:00 a.m.
The most shocking detail of this tragedy: behind the wheel of the truck was a 10-year-old girl.
According to authorities, the child driver lost control of the vehicle after allegedly being told to move it by Clinton Earl Johnson Jr., 31, who is now facing charges in connection with the boy’s death. Johnson, identified as the boy’s stepfather, was arrested on Tuesday and is currently charged with criminally negligent homicide, a state jail felony in Texas. At the time of this writing, no bond has been set.
Investigators believe Johnson instructed the 10-year-old girl to move his pickup truck—an action that ultimately resulted in her crashing through the porch of a residence on Oakwood Drive, directly into the area where the young boy was standing. The child was critically injured and rushed to a nearby hospital, but despite emergency efforts, he succumbed to his injuries shortly afterward.
“This is an unthinkable tragedy, and one that absolutely could have been prevented,” a law enforcement spokesperson said, emphasizing that the investigation remains ongoing. “A child should never be behind the wheel of a vehicle, under any circumstances.”
The Lufkin Police Department has not released the identities of the children involved due to their ages. However, they confirmed the relationship between Johnson and the boy, as well as the fact that Johnson was not in the vehicle at the time of the crash but had directed the young girl to move it.
In response to the incident, neighbors and community members have created a small memorial near the crash site, placing flowers, stuffed animals, and notes in memory of the young boy. “He was full of energy and light,” one neighbor said. “To know that he’s gone because of such a careless decision is devastating.”
Local officials and child safety advocates have spoken out in the wake of the tragedy, urging parents and guardians to understand the grave responsibility that comes with operating a vehicle—and the irreversible consequences that can result from negligence.
Criminally negligent homicide, the charge Johnson now faces, is defined in Texas law as causing the death of an individual by criminal negligence. If convicted, Johnson could face a sentence of up to two years in a state jail facility.
At this time, no charges have been filed against the girl, given her age and the circumstances. Child Protective Services has reportedly been notified and may be conducting a separate inquiry into the case.
As the investigation continues, the Lufkin community remains in mourning. Prayers have poured in from across East Texas and beyond for the grieving family, especially for the mother of the child, who must now bear the loss of a son under circumstances that are as tragic as they are preventable.
There are no further details available at this time. Authorities ask that anyone with information related to the case contact the Lufkin Police Department.
This incident stands as a sobering reminder of how a single careless decision can lead to irreversible consequences. The life of a little boy is gone—far too soon—and a family, a community, and two other children are forever changed.
