Family honors loved one with memorial highway sign
A Naples, Texas, family has dedicated a memorial sign in honor of their loved one through the Memorial Sign Program for Victims of Impaired Driving.
The program is offered by the Texas Department of Transportation and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
The Harrison family gathered Nov. 15 along state Highway 77 near Marietta to dedicate a sign honoring Clay Harrison, who died at this location in 2017 in a collision with an impaired driver.
Harrison, 61, was driving home May 17, 2017, on a straight and open section of Highway 77 when a drunken driver, traveling the opposite direction, veered into his lane and hit his vehicle head-on. Harrison was pronounced dead at the scene a few minutes later, according to information from TXDOT.
The impaired driver survived and was flown to LSU Medical Center in Shreveport, La., where his blood alcohol level was determined to be 0.156, almost double the legal limit.
The intoxicated driver was later charged with felony intoxication manslaughter and is now serving a 14-year prison sentence.
The Harrison family wanted to do something to commemorate Clay and also remind others about the serious and often fatal consequences of drinking and driving.
Under the program agreement, TxDOT erected a sign at the scene of the crash site, where it will remain for two years. The sign urges drivers “Please Don’t Drink and Drive” and posts the victim’s name and date of the fatal crash. At the end of the twoyear period, the sign is taken down and presented to the family to keep. Anyone having questions can contact their nearest TxDOT district office or email TRF_TE_MSP@ txdot.gov.