North Texans demand road improvements on Wise County highway after musician dies in crash
Residents of a small town in North Texas are demanding that authorities improve safety measures on a Wise County highway after North Texas musician Jeff Taylor, 44, was killed in a car crash Saturday.
Alvord, Texas, residents who created a petition on change.org say the “negligence” of roadway engineering on U.S. Highway 81/287 is what led to Taylor’s death.
Taylor’s 2022 GMC Sierra collided with a semi-trailer truck on the highway crossover in Wise County, just seven miles north of Decatur, the Texas Department of Public Safety told Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV. There were no passengers in either vehicle at the time of the collision, according to WFAA.
According to the petitioners, Taylor is one of four people who have died at the location. The entrances and exits for the Punjabi Dhabba restaurant and truck stop at the crossover “have proven to be hazardous and life-threatening,” residents said in the petition.
The driver of the semi was not injured, according to a preliminary investigation by the DPS. A Wise County Justice of the Peace pronounced Taylor dead at the scene, according to WFAA.
“Our community deserves safe roads, where we can live without fear for ourselves or our loved ones. Something has got to change, at this location,” the petition states.
Taylor, who lived in Sunset, Texas, with his wife and children, was born in Houston. He earned a degree in business and a minor in music at Southwestern University in Georgetown.
“His love for music played a key role throughout the course of his life,” his obituary read.
Taylor played drums in a worship band with his brother for several years and regularly participated in various other church worship bands, where he played multiple instruments. He was most known for his Dallas-based band, Air Review, whose music was featured by Apple, the International Olympic Committee, and Netflix, among many others.
Taylor also worked at Irving Bible Church for 14 years as a technical director. At the church, he managed a music studio where he worked on several albums and recordings for local and national artists, including Grammy-nominated projects.
In 2018, he opened Taylor Pro Audio, an audio, video and lighting production company. The company worked with churches, businesses and events throughout Texas and surrounding states. Taylor also worked as an operations manager for Petra Coatings, an epoxy coatings company.
Aside from his passion for music, he had a passion for his faith, family and serving others.
“His influence on others was not limited to his skills as he encouraged those around him with his joy, his integrity, and his consistent, calming presence,” his obituary says. “Jeff was known for his many talents and his drive to achieve success in all things, but his greatest achievement and source of pride was his family. He was a faithful husband, a wonderful father, and a loving son and brother.”
Taylor is survived by his wife, Sara Taylor, his son Callum Taylor, his daughter Evan Taylor, his parents and his brothers.
A memorial service for Taylor is set for 3:30 p.m. March 17 at the Crossroads Church in Decatur. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery in Decatur.
Friends are welcome to visit family from 6 to 8 p.m. March 16 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie.
This story was originally published March 14, 2024 at 11:00 PM.
