Arlington crash claims life of 17 year old girl, wet roads may be to blame

ARLINGTON - A Hurst teen was killed in a crash Saturday night after police say her boyfriend who was driving may have hydroplaned, losing control on rain-slicked roads.

The girl is identified as 17 year old Tabatha Romaker who was a senior at L. D. Bell High School in Hurt. She was transported to an area hospital, but later died.

Her boyfriend, 17 year old Frankie Santos, is in critical condition at Medical Center of Arlington.

Arlington Police responded to the major crash about 9:45pm in the 1100 block of eastbound I-H 20 near Collins Street.

Police say it appears Santo lost control on wet roads while attempting to change lanes. The car hydroplaned and spun out of control, coming to a rest facing sideways in the lane closest to the center median.

They say another car going eastbound in the same lane t-boned the car carrying the teens. The woman who was driving the second vehicle was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Rita Romaker, Tabatha's mother, says the couple was driving home from a dinner date when the crash happened.

She says her daughter survived surgery, but passed away around 4 a.m. Sunday after losing too much blood.

Rita Romaker says she and Tabatha's sister, Nikki Dalby, are grieving their family's loss, but are also praying for Santo.

"We lost our baby, but he still has a fighting chance, so we want everyone to lift him in prayer also, and his family, because they're going through uncertainty and fear the way we were last night. We just pray that the outcome is better," said Romaker.

She says she spent yesterday with Tabatha, shopping and testing spray tans for prom.

Rita Romaker says Tabatha was the choir president and volunteered regularly at a local animal shelter.

She was recently accepted to two colleges.