Many at the Collin County Courthouse are mourning the loss of a beloved co-worker who was killed Monday after a pile-up crash involving six vehicles in Anna.
The Collin County District Clerk's office has now identified that person as Katrina Shelby. Shelby served for nearly eight years as the office's lead court clerk.
The Collin County District Clerk's office released a statement Tuesday saying:
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Katrina Shelby, a valued and respected member of our team. Katrina had been a dedicated Lead Clerk in the Collin County District Clerk’s office, where she served with commitment and excellence for nearly eight years. Our thoughts and condolences go out to her family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. Additionally, we are providing support to our team as we navigate this loss together."
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
“As an elected official, you deal with a lot; you have to deal with a lot,” said Collin County District Clerk Mike Gould. “But nobody tells you how you have to deal with a loss.”
Tuesday afternoon, Shelby's office was dark, her door was closed, and her calendar was stuck on the day she didn’t return to work.
“Knowing that you can't say hi, knowing that she's not there, it is truly a tragedy, and it’s something where I just walked to my office this morning and put my head in my hands,” said Gould.
According to police, Shelby was killed in a six-car chain reaction crash in Anna at about 12:15 p.m. Monday. It happened during lane closures on a stretch of U.S. Highway 75 that's under construction.
Starting this week, the City of Anna said congestion has been compounded. City officials said the Mantua Road bridge and the ramps leading in and out of the exit were shut down Monday for a six-month-long project.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
“Traffic safety and congestion is an issue,” said Anna City Manager Ryan Henderson.
Henderson said the city wants to prevent another tragedy and is actively working with TxDOT to help ease congestion and improve safety on state-managed roadways.
“We've reached out to TxDOT, and they are willingly coming to the table to work with us on enhancing safety measures,” said Henderson.
Gould and his staff of more than 80 people are remembering Shelby with a memorial in the courthouse. He described Shelby as a dedicated clerk, a wife, and a mom who died on her way to take senior pictures with her daughter in Pottsboro.
“That’s the heartbreaking part of it is that she was going to experience something great and then just to have her life tragically cut short,” said Gould. “That’s the horrible part of this. It’s all just terrible.”
Two victims involved in the crash were hospitalized, and four others involved declined medical care at the scene.
Anna police and other Collin County Sheriff's Office first responders are investigating what caused the crash. No charges have been filed.
