Grayson County, TXGenWeb

Kelly Dean Zabel
4 January 1961 - 16 September 1988

Denison Herald
September 16, 1988
Howe man dies after fall from truck

SHERMAN - A 27-year-old Howe man died this morning after falling from the open door of a moving truck at 11 p.m. Thursday on U.S.75.

Kelly Dean Zabel was first treated at a Sherman hospital for cuts, fractures, abrasions and a massive head injury, Officer T. W. Carter reported. He was later transferred to a Denison hospital and died there at 5:41 a.m. today.

Zabel was sitting in the passenger seat near the right door when he said he "wanted out," and opened the door as they drove along U.S. 75 near the Park Street overpass, the driver and a passenger told police.

The driver, 18-year-old Carmen Marie Valle of Sherman told police that Zabel then stood up with his right foot on the floorboard and held onto the cab and the open door. The other passenger, who was sitting between the driver and Zabel, grabbed Zabel's pants but lost his grip when they "unsnapped." As the passenger reached again, Zabel fell from the truck, she said.

Valle told police she slowed to 45 miles per hour when Zabel opened the door. She said she couldn't stop because there was traffic behind her.

A witness driving behind the truck told police it appeared that Zabel was trying to climb into the bed of the truck. Zabel bounced several times after hitting the pavement, the witness said.

The death will probably be classified as a traffic accident, Sherman police said.