BLANCO COUNTY, Texas – Two people have died in a Monday crash along U.S. 281 near the Blanco/Burnet County Line, Texas Department of Public Safety confirms.
The Burnet County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook that U.S. 281 was closed near the Hofbrau RV Park due to a multi-vehicle crash during a pursuit, and that Burnet County units were not involved. The RV park is located approximately two miles north of Round Mountain and nine miles south of Marble Falls. The roadway reopened at around 6 p.m.
DPS said around 11:30 a.m. July 3, a trooper traveling southbound on U.S. 281 was almost struck by a gray Honda that was traveling northbound. When the trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver, a 69-year-old man, did not stop for authorities and continued to weave in and out of traffic, almost striking other vehicles.
Troopers said the Honda eventually struck two SUVs traveling in the southbound lane, killing the 69-year-old Honda driver and his passenger, a 99-year-old woman.
DPS said one oft the SUV drivers refused transport to the hospital, while the other SUV driver was taken by EMS ground transport to Dell Seton Medical Center. The extent of the injuries of the person hospitalized is unknown.
The exact cause of the crash is under investigation.
DPS said a judge has ordered an autopsy report to uncover a possible underlying reason for the driver's erratic behavior.
The names of the people killed in the crash have not been released pending notification of their families.
TxDOT Austin said U.S. 281 is closed between FM 962 in Round Mountain and Texas 71. The roadway will be reopened when the investigation is completed.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
=========================== DPS: 2 dead in head-on crash on U.S. 281 in Blanco County
By Staff - American-Statesman staff
Posted: 6:29 p.m. Monday, July 03, 2017
BLANCO COUNTY
Two dead in U.S. 281 crash
Two people who drove into oncoming traffic on U.S. 281 died in a Monday morning crash, Texas Department of Public Safety officials said.
At about 11:30 a.m., a gray Honda driving northbound on U.S. 281 in Blanco County crossed into the southbound lanes, according to a DPS news release. A DPS trooper spotted the vehicle and tried to pull it over, but the car did not stop, the release said.
About two minutes later, the vehicle struck two cars traveling southbound, the release said.
The driver and the passenger of the Honda were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names were not released Monday.
The driver of one of the vehicles that was struck was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, and the other driver was treated and released at the scene, the release said.
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:15 p.m. update: Two people who drove into oncoming traffic on U.S. 281 died in a Monday morning crash, Texas Department of Public Safety officials said.
At about 11:30 a.m., a gray Honda driving northbound on U.S. 281 in Blanco County crossed into the southbound lanes, according to a DPS news release. A DPS trooper spotted the vehicle and tried to pull it over, but the car did not stop, the release said.
About two minutes later, the vehicle struck two cars traveling southbound, the release said.
The driver and the passenger of the Honda were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names were not released Monday.
The driver of one of the vehicles that was struck was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, and the other driver was treated and released at the scene, the release said.
Earlier: U.S. 281 has been completely shut down in Blanco County after a deadly crash on Monday morning.
Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Robbie Barrera said the crash happened to the north on RR 962. She said authorities were trying to stop the vehicle before the crash, but no additional information was immediately available.
Barrera confirmed that two people had died.
The highway is closed from RR 962 in Blanco County to Texas 71 in Burnet County, according to TxDOT.