---
title: "Three Storm Chasers Killed in Crash While Tracking Tornado"
description: "The two vehicles collided at a rural intersection amid severe storms in Texas."
date: "2017-03-29"
modified: "2017-03-29"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/8738/three-storm-chasers-killed-in-crash-while-chasing-tornado"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Accident"
  - "Storm Chasers"
  - "Texas"
  - "tornado"
---

# Three Storm Chasers Killed in Crash While Tracking Tornado

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/03/gettyimages-534167324.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Three storm chasers, including two Weather Channel contractors, were killed on Tuesday when their vehicles collided at a rural intersection as they pursued a tornado in northwest Texas, according to the state's Department of Public Safety.

Authorities say Kelley Gene Williamson, Randall Delane Yarnall, and Corbin Lee Jaeger were all actively working as storm chasers in an area just outside the small town of Spur as severe thunderstorms spawned several funnel clouds and at least one reported tornado. But at around 3:30pm local time, the Chevrolet Suburban driven by Williamson and Yarnall [ran a stop sign](<https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/local-news/dps-and-dickens-co-officials-called-to-report-of-deadly-crash/682015058>) on a back road and smashed into Jaeger's Jeep Patriot. Williamson wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was ejected; all three were killed instantly. Fox News [obtained pictures](<https://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/03/28/three-storm-chasers-killed-in-west-texas-car-crash.html>) showing both cars almost smashed beyond recognition.

Williamson, 57 and Yarnall, 55, worked as contractors for the Weather Channel, and the station [issued a statement](<https://weathergroup.com/newsroom/2017/03/28/weather-channel-statement-loss-beloved-members-weather-community>) on their deaths calling the two men "beloved." Jaeger was only 25, but he appeared excited about his chosen career, [posting a picture](<https://www.instagram.com/p/BSMG8ocjZcC/?taken-by=corbinjaeger53>) of his Jeep on Instagram a few hours before the crash with the caption "Waiting for them storms!"

Storm chasing is already incredibly risky work, but this tragedy highlights one of its less obvious dangers. Severe weather is forecast over a large swath of the south on Wednesday - drive safe.

![message-editor%2F1490759976287-intersection.png](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1490759976287-intersection.png>)
*The intersection where the crash took place. [Coordinates](<https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B028'16.9%22N+100%C2%B054'53.0%22W/@33.4711333,-100.9146983,234m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d33.47135!4d-100.914712>)., *Google Maps**

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)