On the morning of Thursday, October 23, 2025, a tragic hit-and-run collision claimed the life of 71-year-old Barbara Wood as she walked her dog in a marked crosswalk on The Station Boulevard in Sachse, Texas. The incident occurred around 7:00 a.m. in front of Amberlin at The Station, a 55+ active adult community where Wood had resided since the complex opened three years prior. According to Sachse police, Wood was struck by a dark-colored vehicle whose driver fled the scene without stopping to render aid. She was transported to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. A beloved mother of three and grandmother, Wood was remembered by neighbors and friends as a kind person who would do anything for anybody. The close-knit community has been profoundly shaken by what residents describe as a senseless tragedy. Sachse police have released images of the suspect vehicle and are actively investigating the fatal collision, urging anyone with information to come forward.

Location and Infrastructure

The Station Boulevard, where this fatal pedestrian collision occurred, runs through a 55+ active adult residential community in Sachse, a suburb located in the northeastern Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The crosswalk where Barbara Wood was struck serves as a pedestrian pathway for residents of the Amberlin at The Station complex, connecting various parts of the community. Following the tragedy, Sachse police have implemented immediate safety improvements, including the installation of traffic cameras and a radar feedback sign near the crosswalk to alert drivers to their speed and increase awareness of the pedestrian crossing. The community's residents, concerned about ongoing pedestrian safety, have scheduled attendance at a Sachse City Council meeting to advocate for more permanent traffic calming measures and enhanced crossing protections in the area to prevent future tragedies.

Legal Rights and Considerations

Under Texas Transportation Code Section 552.005, drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in marked crosswalks, and failure to do so resulting in serious injury or death can result in criminal charges. Hit-and-run accidents involving fatalities are prosecuted as felonies in Texas under Transportation Code Section 550.021, carrying potential penalties of 2-20 years imprisonment. In pedestrian fatality cases involving hit-and-run drivers, families may pursue wrongful death claims against the at-fault driver once identified, seeking compensation for funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and other damages. Texas law generally provides a two-year statute of limitations for wrongful death claims from the date of death. If the at-fault driver carried liability insurance, the victim's family may file claims under the driver's bodily injury liability coverage. Additionally, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on family members' auto policies may provide compensation when hit-and-run drivers are never identified or lack adequate insurance.

Related Resources

Emergency Services:

• Sachse Police Department: (972) 495-6810
• Sachse Fire Department Emergency: 911

Traffic Safety Resources:

• Texas Department of Transportation - Pedestrian Safety: https://www.txdot.gov/safety/pedestrian-safety.html
• City of Sachse Traffic Safety Information: https://www.cityofsachse.com

Support Services:

• Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) North Texas Victim Services: (1-877) 623-3435
• Texas Crime Victim Services: (800) 983-9933
• Grief counseling and support groups through local community centers

Legal Information:

• Texas Transportation Code: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.552.htm
• Texas Department of Insurance Consumer Help Line: (800) 252-3439