Canton Man Flees Scene Of Crash

FRUITVALE—A Canton man was arrested Monday after he fatally struck another vehicle on U.S. Highway 80 Sunday night and fled the scene.

Allen E. Melvin, 30, is being charged with criminally negligent homicide, and failure to stop and render aid.

Melvin, and his front seat passenger Chad Robert McElwee also of Canton, were traveling on U.S. 80 in Fruitvale near Van Zandt County Road 1902 around 9:25 p.m. in a 1997 Dodge Caravan.

Mark Allen Hall, 40, Wills Point, and his passenger Colten Paul McBride, 14, Fruitvale were also on U.S. 80 in a 1982 Jeep CJ7.

"Mr. Hall was traveling westbound on U.S. 80 in the right lane while the Dodge Caravan, driven by Mr. Melvin, was traveling westbound in the same direction behind him," Department of Public Safety Corporal Terry Jackson explained. "Mr. Melvin failed to control speed, striking Mr. Hall in the rear. Mr. Hall began to slide clockwise into the westbound bar ditch and began to roll. Mr. Hall was ejected from the vehicle."

"Mr. Melvin slide into the westbound bar ditch, where he and his passenger later fled the scene prior to troopers arriving there," Jackson said.

"Witnesses stated that Mr. Melvin’s car was traveling at a high rate of speed, without his headlights on, at the time of the crash," Jackson said.

Hall was transported to East Texas Medical Center in Tyler by Grand Saline EMS where he later died. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

McBride received incapacitating injuries which include broken bones and is listed in stable condition at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.

Melvin was arrested by troopers on September 21, following an investigation which is ongoing.

Jackson said the contributing factors to the accident was Melvin’s failure to control speed.

The investigating trooper was Ben Rolison who was assisted by troopers Matt Skinner and Landon Corbett.