‘Nobody deserves to go out like that’: Families of five girls who died in a fiery crash file lawsuit

BURNET COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Attorneys representing the families of five young women who were killed in a July crash have filed a civil lawsuit against the driver accused of causing it and the company he worked for.

Police believe Kody Lane Talley was driving a pickup truck hauling a trailer loaded with horses traveling northbound on U.S. 281, when he veered into the southbound lanes and hit a car head-on. The truck continued in an arc before hitting an SUV, DPS said.

That SUV overturned and caught fire. All five people in the vehicle died at the scene. DPS identified them as Thalia Salinas, Ruby Cruz, Brianna Valadez, Desiree Cervantez and Jaqueline Velazco Ventura. 

“There are currently five manslaughter charges pending against this driver,” said Matthew Graham, an attorney with J. Alexander Law Firm. “What these families need are answers, and they need some sort of accountability to be taken by the driver of this dangerous vehicle.”

“There’s an entire system in place here that led to him being behind the wheel that day. That system includes the company he works for,” Graham said. “There are a number of people who need to be held accountable for this.”

KXAN has not yet been able to connect with Talley’s attorneys or the company he worked for. 

In an arrest warrant affidavit, police said it appeared Talley’s accelerator pedal was depressed 100% at the time of impact. Williamson County court records show Talley has prior charges, including two DUIs, aggravated assault with a weapon and driving with an invalid license.

The affidavit also states that Talley left the scene before speaking with state troopers.

The lawsuit comes as loved ones gathered Monday afternoon to erect a permanent memorial along U.S.  281. Around 30 of the victim’s loved ones stood along the road while the sign was being installed. 

“They were all best friends – ‘The Fab Five’,” said Jose Cruz, Ruby’s brother. “I’m not an emotional person. I’m not a religious person, but I think that’s the first time I ever cried to God.”

Cruz said he is still processing the event, and that “it feels fake.”

“The girls didn’t go out how they were supposed to. They burned – the car flipped. Nobody deserves to go out like that. I don’t wish that on my enemies. It’s disgusting,” he continued. 

“It just doesn’t make sense to me – no brother, no mother, no father, no cousin, no aunt, no uncle should be going through this,” he said.