An unfortunate and “gruesome” two-vehicle crash occurred Wednesday on Highway 83 about 75 miles outside San Antonio in the Texas Hill Country. The minibus involved was returning home from a retreat with senior churchgoers when a pickup truck traveling northbound veered into the southbound lane and hit the bus head-on.
Senior Pastor Brad McLean, of the First Baptist Church in New Braunfels, said they were doing what church families do during a crisis. “They’re coming together, they’re crying together, they’re praying together and… there’s anxiousness as to who was on the bus and what their condition is.” The statement was given before authorities had a chance to speak with the pastor to give him details about the accident.
The accident occurred on a two-lane section of Highway 83 near Garner State Park. According to Sgt. Orlando Moreno of the public safety department, 12 people including the bus driver died at the scene. The 13th victim died at a San Antonio hospital. The 14th person on the bus, Rose Mary Harris, 64, is in serious but stable condition at the San Antonio Military Medical Center. The driver of the pickup truck was identified as Jack Dillon Young, 20, of Leakey. He was airlifted to University Hospital and is currently in stable condition.
The stretch of road where the collision occurred is on a major curve on the highway where the posted speed limit is 65. According to the Uvalde Leader-News, “An area resident was behind one of the vehicles involved and said she called law enforcement in Uvalde and Real counties to report reckless driving. Before help arrived, however, the crash happened.” However, the cause of the accident is still under investigation.
The Texas Department of Public Safety recently released the identities of the 13 victims:
On behalf of all of us here at Herrman & Herrman, we extend our deepest condolences to the victims and families of those involved.
