Nearly a year after a fiery auto accident left five dead and almost in the same location, another local man is dead after allegedly driving his vehicle at a high rate of speed in what authorities say may have been a street race.

Dana Burkett, 55, was killed Dec. 16 after he was thrown from his vehicle while traveling north on SH 249 near Coe Road, about four miles south of Magnolia.

According to DPS Cpl. Michael Chapman, Burkett was driving a Corvette and witnesses stated that he may have been racing a yellow Mustang.

The accident occurred at approximately 7 p.m. when Burkett lost control of his Corvette, crossed three lanes of traffic, went over a curb and struck an electrical pole. He was thrown from his car and pronounced dead at the scene, Chapman said.

There were no other passengers in the car and no further injuries were reported. The driver of the Mustang was not at the scene of the accident and is being sought by investigators for questioning.

The accident is still under investigation by DPS.

Police said a wreck also occurred a few hours earlier at SH 249 and Partridge Circle that caused heavy traffic.

On Jan. 10, 2009, 22-year-old Brandon Ferguson was also traveling north on SH 249 in his Chevy Cobalt, just south of Partridge Circle, when he struck a minivan broadside going what some authorities believe to be in excess of 100 miles per hour.

His passenger, Kayla Pratorious, 18, was killed, as were four passengers in the minivan, Catherine Edwards, 83, Curtis Edwards, 78, Lloyd Edwards, 83 and Donald Sexton, 60.

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