Just a few days before Christmas, news broke that founding member of the Dixie Chicks Laura Lynch passed away. As the family grieved the loss, many artists took a moment to honor the musician as the Dixie Chicks wrote on their Instagram, “We hold a special place in our hearts for the time we spent playing music, laughing and traveling together. Laura was a bright light…her infectious energy and humor gave a spark to the early days of our band.” With details of her fatal crash still emerging, it appears the driver who struck her could face criminal charges.
While driving just outside of El Paso, Texas, a Dodge Ram struck Lynch’s vehicle. The truck initially headed westbound and veered into the eastbound lane of Highway 62. Trying to pass someone, the driver unexpectedly slammed into Lynch. At the time, the musician headed to Dell City, where she grew up.
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After the crash, Lynch was pronounced dead as the driver was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Currently, investigators are planning to subpoena the hospital’s records on the driver, wanting to know his blood test results. It’s unknown if the driver underwent any sort of sobriety test at the scene of the crash or even if he showed signs of intoxication.
Laura Lynch Hoped To Make A “Little Musical History”
Besides believing the driver might have been under the influence, the Texas Department of Public Safety could bring reckless driving charges against the individual. Not providing many details, the department promised to submit its full investigation within 30 days of the accident.
[RELATED: 3 of the Best Songs from The Chicks that Feature Laura Lynch]
A founding member of the Dixie Chicks, Lynch stayed with the group until 1995. She once outlined her goal with the band to NPR, saying, “Our brand of cowgirl music is a mixture of old-time country music, bluegrass music, acoustic. What we’re doing is kind of carving our own notch in, I don’t know, what we hope is going make a little musical history.”
Remembering her in their Instagram post, the group concluded, “Her undeniable talents helped propel us beyond busking on street corners to stages all across Texas and the mid-West.”
(Laura Lynch image via @TheChicks on Instagram)
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