McKeller graduated from Prairie View A&M after surviving a deadly North Texas crash that killed four family members, marking a milestone of resilience and recovery.
DALLAS — On Saturday, Evan McKeller walked across the stage at Prairie View A&M University, a milestone reached after unimaginable loss and life-changing injuries from a North Texas crash that took the lives of several members of her family.
Evan obtained her degree in Criminal Justice.
The graduation comes months after a June 28 multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 20 near Terrell that claimed the lives of five people, including four members of McKeller’s family. A Kaufman County grand jury has since indicted the truck driver involved, Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, on five counts of manslaughter and four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Investigators said Gonzalez-Companioni, who was hauling a U.S. Postal Service load, failed to brake and plowed into slowed traffic in a construction zone involving seven vehicles — three 18-wheelers and four passenger vehicles. Court records show the driver told investigators he fell asleep at the wheel.
Those killed included 79-year-old Billy McKellar, 52-year-old Zabar McKellar, 45-year-old Krishaun McKellar, and Kason McKellar, 16, of Fort Worth. The family had been returning to Fort Worth from Tyler, where they had attended a memorial service earlier that day.
Nicole Gregory, 49, of Dallas, was also killed.
Evan, 20, survived the crash but suffered severe injuries. She lost her foot and has undergone multiple surgeries to her face, mouth, arm, left side, and leg. Her grandfather previously told WFAA, McKeller does not remember the accident and has endured more surgeries than he can recall.
The grand jury also indicted an official with Hope Trans, the trucking company Gonzalez-Companioni was working for, on a felony forgery charge tied to a falsified truck registration, known as a cab card. The case has drawn heightened scrutiny to Hope Trans LLC, which Covenant Logistics subcontracted to transport U.S. mail, following prior reporting that revealed a pattern of safety violations at the company.
Against all of that, McKeller’s graduation is a powerful moment of resilience. Saturday’s ceremony at Prairie View A&M wasn’t just about earning a degree; it was a hard-won step forward after a tragedy that permanently changed her life and her family.
Watch the full interview with Anthony Epperson, Evan’s grandfather, below:
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