Executive Summary
- Elzie Houston, 33, was killed when a 2,500-pound concrete trough fell during unloading in Parker County.
- Emergency crews pronounced the driver dead at the scene near Old Tin Top Road.
- The Parker County Sheriff’s Office and Medical Examiner are investigating the cause of the fatal accident.
PARKER COUNTY, Texas — A 33-year-old truck driver was killed on December 30 in Parker County after a concrete cattle feed trough weighing approximately 2,500 pounds fell on him during a delivery operation, according to local emergency officials.
Officials with the Parker County Emergency Services District reported that emergency crews responded to a distress call regarding a person trapped by falling concrete in the area of Old Tin Top Road at approximately 5:06 p.m. Upon arrival, first responders determined that the heavy concrete equipment had shifted and fallen from a trailer while being unloaded, fatally pinning the man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim’s family identified him as Elzie Houston, a father of three and a truck driver with more than a decade of experience. Houston’s mother, Ulonda Leonard, told WFAA that her son was delivering the trough to a private ranch when the incident occurred. Leonard stated that the details surrounding the accident remain unclear to the family and called for a thorough explanation of how the equipment failed.
WFAA noted that it attempted to contact Springtown-based Prosperity Transportation, identified by the family as Houston’s employer, but had not received a response regarding the incident.
Investigative Outlook
The Parker County Sheriff’s Office and the Parker County Medical Examiner’s Office are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatality. In workplace accidents involving the unloading of heavy industrial loads, investigators typically focus on safety protocols, equipment stability, and mechanical integrity to determine if proper procedures were followed or if a lapse in safety measures contributed to the death.
