A late-night crash on a Waco roadway has led to felony charges against a 45-year-old woman after a chain-reaction collision left a young boy with catastrophic injuries. Authorities say the crash, which unfolded in February, stemmed from a reckless passing attempt that spiraled into a head-on collision involving three vehicles.
WACO, TX – The intersection of Gholson Road and Hicks Drive became the scene of a severe multi-vehicle crash around 11 p.m. on Feb. 20, when Anissa Cantrell Bell allegedly attempted to pass two vehicles in a no-passing zone while driving northbound in a GMC Acadia. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by local media, Bell’s maneuver nearly caused an initial collision before ending in a direct crash with an oncoming vehicle.
“While passing those vehicles, it nearly collided with an oncoming vehicle, but that vehicle was able to move out of the way,” the affidavit states.
Crash sequence and investigation findings
Moments later, Bell’s vehicle struck a southbound Chevrolet Equinox head-on, authorities said. The impact forced the Equinox into a Kia Forte, creating a three-vehicle collision captured on nearby business security cameras.
Investigators determined Bell was traveling at 67 mph in a 45 mph zone approximately 4.5 seconds before the crash. Data shows she applied the brakes shortly before impact, reducing speed to 51 mph less than a second prior to the collision.
Emergency responders transported multiple injured individuals to a local hospital, including Bell, the other drivers, and a 7-year-old boy who was a passenger in one of the vehicles.
The child suffered severe head and neck injuries that resulted in permanent paralysis. Authorities described the injuries as consistent with an internal decapitation, a condition in which the skull separates from the spinal column due to ligament damage while external tissue remains intact.
Alcohol evidence and arrest
According to the affidavit, officers discovered a half-empty bottle of tequila inside Bell’s vehicle. Medical personnel and officers at the hospital observed signs of impairment.
“Officers who met Bell at the hospital noted that her speech was very slurred and she appeared confused,” the affidavit alleges.
Authorities reported that approximately 50 minutes after the crash, Bell’s blood alcohol concentration measured 0.22, nearly three times the legal limit.
Bell was arrested Tuesday and charged with one count of first-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of second-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She was booked into the McLennan County Jail and later released on a $100,000 personal recognizance bond.
The case remains under investigation.
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