A tragic car accident in Navasota has taken the lives of two sisters. Jessica Mattern, a high school sophomore, and her 4-year-old sister were killed when the SUV they were riding in overturned just .8 miles north of Navasota on F.M. 3090 on the evening of Wednesday, June 17, 2009.
The rollover accident occurred when Amanda Alfaro, the 15-year-old driver of the vehicle, tried to help Jessica locate her cell phone. Jessica was looking for her phone when the driver ran off the road, overcorrected and lost control of the suburban. It appeared as though the vehicle started a side skid and flipped.
All of the windows broke, as the SUV rolled numerous times. Jessica’s 4-year-old girl, Sierra Simmons, was ejected from the vehicle and was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital with massive head trauma. She died two days later in the hospital.
Jessica was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Amanda was listed as being in good condition with chest pains and her younger sister who was in the vehicle, Mary Elizabeth, was in good condition with lacerations. Merricka Ybarra, a 15-year-old friend, was also in the SUV and was listed in stable condition with cuts and bruises and a leg injury.