POETRY, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is continuing to investigate a fatality motor vehicle accident that occurred near lunchtime on Monday north of Terrell on FM 986 that took the life of a Kaufman County teen.
POETRY, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is continuing to investigate a fatality motor vehicle accident that occurred near lunchtime on Monday north of Terrell on FM 986 that took the life of a Kaufman County teen.
Students, staff and parents of Poetry Community Christian School (PCCS) are in mourning after the untimely loss of 16-year-old James Cato of Scurry.
Cato was a Junior at PCCS where he played on the school’s basketball team and was a member of the National Honor Society. He was an Eagle Scout of Troop 332 in Kaufman and had received his red belt in karate. While being employed at the Kaufman Walmart, Cato volunteered his time to a theatrical troupe, “The Vagabond Players”, and was a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Kaufman.
According to DPS Staff Sergeant Kyle Bradford the preliminary investigation indicates that Cato was a passenger in a yellow Ford Mustang with another student driving that was traveling southbound on FM 986. At some point the driver lost control of the vehicle and hit another vehicle who was traveling north bound.
“It is yet to be determined the reason the driver of the Ford Mustang lost control and drove into the northbound lane,” Bradford tells inForney.com. “The investigation is on-going.”
According to DPS, both drivers were transported to local hospitals. At last check the student driver’s condition was upgraded to stable and the other driver had been discharged.
Cato was pronounced dead on the scene by emergency personnel and confirmed by Kaufman County Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace Mike Smith.
Funeral Mass for Cato will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, October 1, 2018 at St. Ann Catholic Church in Kaufman with interment to follow at Kaufman Cemetery. Cato's family will receive friends from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm with Recitation of the Holy Rosary beginning at 7:00 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2018 at St. Ann Catholic Church. Services are under the direction of Max Slayton Funeral Home & Cremations of Terrell.
In lieu of flowers, Cato’s family asks that contributions be made to the James Cato Scholarship Fund, c/o St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 806 Washington, Kaufman, 75142 or to PCCS Basketball Scholarship Fund, 18688 FM 986, Terrell, 75160.
“Please join our school family in praying for surviving young man’s recovery, the boys’ families, their fellow students, teachers and staff. Both boys have been at the school for many years,” PCCS said in a statement.
