Arlington police said one man was killed and another woman was seriously injured after an SUV crashed into them early Saturday morning.
According to Arlington Police, around 1:00 a.m. Saturday in the 300 block of N. Watson Rd. Near Division St., officers responded to reports of an SUV hitting multiple pedestrians.
They found a 31-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman on the ground injured.
The man, Tyler White, was taken to a hospital where he died, police said. According to the police, the condition of the woman is critical.
“I’m devastated. I’m in shock. Like, it’s unbelievable,” said Tyler’s wife, Brea White.
She and her husband of three years were at a family member’s holiday party Friday night when she got a call from a friend.
“Our friend called and said his wife’s car skidded off the road. So that’s it.” [Tyler] Immediately said, ‘Okay, I’ll help.’ And then I went with him, and another friend went, and I got in the back seat, and then when we got there they started evaluating the car,” White explained.
She said she was standing on the shoulder of the road near the grass when her husband went to pull ropes from the trunk to pull his friend’s 2016 Hyundai Veloster, which was stuck in the mud. White said she was talking to the wife, whose car needed help.
“We were hugging and I’m like, ‘Get in the car, get in the car, it’s cold outside.’ He’s like, ‘No, I’m muddy,'” White said.
When White got back inside his 2004 GMC Yukon, everything changed in an instant.
“I just see this bright light, and I hear an engine, and it’s just ‘BOOM!’ And then I just slide, the car just slides, and then she (the friend) goes down, and I’m just spinning, spinning, spinning,” White said of the car in which She was.
White called out to her husband and found him on the ground. Another friend performed CPR on Tyler until paramedics arrived.
“He was breathing, so I thought there was hope. I was really hopeful. I was so hopeful that he was going to make it. I saw the injuries, but I looked back at him because he was breathing. was taking,” expressed White.
Once an officer brought her to the hospital, minutes later she learned that her husband was dead.
“And when they finally let me see him, I just sat down with him. I just kissed him. I just put my head on his chest. I had to do that for the last time, because it was my last time. I must kiss him, lay my head on his bosom,’ cried White.
Police said first responders had to evacuate the driver of a BMW X1, a 32-year-old woman, when it crashed into the Yukon at high speed.
Arlington police said charges are pending based on the investigation. In a news release, he said crash investigators have not ruled out whether alcohol may have been a factor.
“We pulled over on the side of the road. Like, how did she get that far off the road to hit us?” White questioned.
He said his friend, whose car got stuck in the mud, is still in the hospital.
“I talked to her husband today, and he said she’s fighting. She’s still alive, so she’s fighting. She’s had some surgery, but she’s still fighting,” White said.
Wyatt also suffered some injuries from the accident but is prepared for the emotional toll of losing her husband.
“Little bruises, it’s nothing compared to the deep pain I have in my heart,” White said.
The couple has three children, a 10-year-old boy and daughters, ages 7 and 2.
“He just loved us. He was such a great dad. Such a great grandfather. I just hate that my kids won’t get to experience him going forward in life,” White said.
She said her husband loved to fish and hunt and planned to travel for his birthday next April. Tyler was also in aviation and worked as an airplane mechanic.
He was also known for his kind heart and his final moments reflected his outlook on life.
“He was so selfless. He loved helping people. He was like, ‘Oh, it’s no big deal. If I can do it, I’m going to do it,'” Brea described. “He was always helping our neighbors. He’s a car guy, so he’ll change my neighbor’s oil. Fix the neighbor’s cupboards. He was very selfless. He loved helping people.”
“Tyler was amazing. He was amazing. Extraordinary guy, a good guy. Put his family first, man. Went to work. He loved his job. He loved his friends. He loved his neighbors. loved,” White said.
With Christmas less than 12 days away, White said it’s going to be tough. She surrounds herself with family and friends as she navigates heartbreak.
“I just loved him so bad. I loved him so bad, and I just loved the three-year marriage. I wish it had been longer,” said White, who wished he had picked up his friend. “It could have been avoided,” he said. My husband may still be alive. I’m sorry we went out that night too.
Now focusing on family. Funeral arrangements for Tyler.