The Daily Populous Sunday November 9th, 2025 morning edition
Authored by fox4news.com and submitted by speedythefirst

The Brief A Johnson County jury sentenced 19-year-old Luke Garrett Resecker to 65 years in prison for a 2023 head-on crash. The crash, which occurred near Cleburne, killed six members of a visiting Georgia family traveling in a minivan. Prosecutors argued Resecker was driving under the influence of marijuana when he crossed the center line into oncoming traffic.

Nearly two years after a devastating head-on crash that killed six members of a visiting Georgia family, a Johnson County jury has sentenced 19-year-old Luke Garrett Resecker to 65 years in prison.

The verdict follows a week-long trial in which prosecutors said Resecker was under the influence of marijuana when he crossed into oncoming traffic on U.S. Highway 67 near County Road 1119 outside Cleburne on December 26, 2023.

Resecker’s Chevy Silverado collided head-on with a Honda Odyssey minivan, killing six of the seven occupants inside.

Those killed were 28-year-old Rushil Barri, 39-year-old Naveena Potabathula, 64-year-old Nageswararao Ponnada, 60-year-old Sitamahalakshmi Ponnada, 10-year-old Kruthik Potabathula and 9-year-old Nishidha Potabathula.

The lone survivor from the minivan, Lokesh Potabathula, lost his wife, two children, cousin and in-laws in the crash. He survived but was left paralyzed from the waist down.

Resecker’s passenger, 17-year-old Preston Glass, suffered a severe traumatic brain injury that left him mentally impaired.

Potabathula’s family had recently moved from Plano to Alpharetta, Georgia, returning to North Texas to visit friends over the holidays. Barri, his cousin, had moved from India for graduate studies and was living and working in Irving.

An affidavit and toxicology report showed that THC was present in Resecker’s system at the time of the crash. Troopers also found THC wax, a vape pen, and marijuana inside his truck.

When charges were first filed in early 2024, Resecker faced six counts of intoxication manslaughter, two counts of intoxication assault, and drug-possession charges. Due to injuries from the crash, he was placed on monitored home confinement after posting bond.

During closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Miller invoked each victim’s name, saying:

"Justice for Rushil, Justice for Naveena, Justice for Nageswararao, Justice for Sitamahalakshmi, Justice for Kruthik, Justice for Nishidharaman, and Justice for Lokesh — and justice for this community."

The district attorney’s office thanked jurors, investigators, and prosecutors for their dedication, calling the case "by no means an easy one."

The jury ultimately sentenced Resecker to 65 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

The Johnson and Somervell Counties District Attorney’s Office said the case stands as a sobering reminder of the irreversible consequences of impaired and reckless driving.

Assistant District Attorneys Connor Day and Stephanie Miller prosecuted the case.

ComradeELM0 on November 8th, 2025 at 20:59 UTC »

To imagine that in one moment you‘re in the car with your family and in the next your wife, 2 children, both in-laws and a cousin are dead and you‘re paralysed, all because of a high teen. So crazy that there are people that are confronted with realities like that and have to somehow get over that.

And the 19 year old has to live with the knowledge that he killed 6 people, among them 2 children, and permanently impaired two more. His life is basically over too before the age of 20.

So much tragic because of one stupid decision that many get away with and never think about again. It‘s so hard for me to wrap my head around shit like this, there are just no words for it.

No-Appearance1145 on November 8th, 2025 at 19:41 UTC »

The poor lone survivor of that crash from the family car. Oh my god, I can't imagine the pain. He lost his in laws, his wife, his kids.

bigblackkittie on November 8th, 2025 at 19:25 UTC »

oh my god, that poor family. RIP.

this kid was only 19 and destroyed a family and will probably die in jail. awful.