Mega truck incident at “Rednecks with Paychecks” underscores the dangerous nature of the controversial event

SAINT JO, Texas (KXII) – This weekend's monster truck incident is just one of many that have left people injured or killed at the biannual Rednecks with Paychecks event in Saint Jo.

In the most recent clash this weekend, a “mega truck” drove into a crowd, crushing several vehicles and injuring five people.

“You could tell there were already heated arguments going on,” said eyewitness Dalene Jackson. “People were throwing things, everyone was pretty upset about something.”

Jackson recorded the now-viral video of the incident and said the altercation apparently began after the truck driver, Jonathan Reid, rammed another vehicle, leading to an argument.

“I understand that it's a huge truck and you can't really see the vehicles below you,” Jackson said. “However, the witnesses also stated that he was completely careless and also confrontational and aggressive.”

Reid, who was intoxicated at the time, was arrested and is now charged with five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after five people were injured and two were taken to the hospital for treatment.

“Two people who were taking cover behind one of the vehicles were struck. One of them injured his shoulder and the other suffered a concussion,” said Montague County Sheriff Marshall Thomas.

Jackson said she has since been told that this behavior is not unusual for Reid.

“Several people wrote to me and said they knew the driver and were familiar with him,” Jackson said. “Pretty much everyone said he doesn't have a good reputation and that he has behaved dangerously in the past, which has led to him being banned from other events.”

Unfortunately, the danger at this event is nothing new – a Denison man died in 2022, and at least seven people have reportedly died there since 2015.

Given all this, some have wondered why the event is still allowed.

“Half the people want it, half don’t,” Thomas said.

Thomas said that it was ultimately a private event, but that they were currently examining whether charges could be brought against the organizers because they did not have a permit for a mass event.

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