Fatal Rollover Crash on I-40 in Wheeler County Leaves One Dead, Betty Godfrey and Driver Injured

A devastating single-vehicle rollover crash occurred in the early hours of Thursday, May 1, 2025, on Interstate 40 in Wheeler County, Texas, claiming one life and injuring two others. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported that a 2020 Ford Explorer, traveling westbound, veered off the roadway into the center median approximately 2.7 miles east of Shamrock. The vehicle struck a concrete emergency turnaround barrier at around 3:39 a.m., causing it to go airborne. Upon striking the ground, the Ford entered a side skid and rolled over, leading to catastrophic consequences for its occupants under cloudy skies and dry pavement conditions.

The crash resulted in the death of 56-year-old Verda Isom of Lafe, Arkansas, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. Authorities noted that she was not wearing a seat belt, unlike the other occupants. The driver, 57-year-old Chesley Isom, and passenger Betty Godfrey, 36, also from Lafe, Arkansas, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to Amarillo Northwest Texas Hospital for treatment.