At least 12 dead in crash involving Central Texas church group near Garner State Park

[corbe]

At least 12 dead in crash involving Central Texas church group near Garner State Park

By Kelsey Bradshaw, San Antonio Express-News

1 hr ago



A major collision has shut down Highway 83 near Garner State Park, the Uvalde County Sheriff's Office announced and news outlets are reporting multiple fatalities.© Photo: WOAI-KABB TV A major collision has shut down Highway 83 near Garner State Park, the Uvalde County Sheriff's Office announced and news outlets are reporting multiple fatalities. 


A New Braunfels church group returning from a choir retreat Wednesday afternoon was involved in a major collision near Garner State Park resulting in at least 12 confirmed fatalities.

Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Lt. Juan G. Hernandez said the bus and a Dodge dually pickup truck collided head-on at 12:23 p.m. on U.S. 83 North, just south of Ranch Road 1050.

Hernandez confirmed 12 people died in the accident, and that three others were transported to a hospital. Hernandez said the bus was carrying 14 people and there was one driver in the truck.

Texas Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the crash, Hernandez said.

An area resident told the Uvalde Leader-News that she was behind one of the vehicles involved in the crash and called to report reckless driving before the crash occurred.

First Baptist New Braunfels Pastor Brad McLean told mySA.com a van from the church was carrying seniors from the Alto Frio Baptist Camp and Conference Center, where they were on a choir retreat.

"We just want to be, obviously, thoughtful of the families," McLean said. "We know one of our church vans was involved in the accident. We're just continuing to wait on information."

The Uvalde County Sheriff's Office said at 2 p.m. that traffic is being re-routed thru state Highway 127 near Concan and FM 1050 by Garner State Park and expect the highway to be closed for several hours. The National Transportation and Safety Board tweeted that they are also investigating the accident.

"We are saddened by the loss of life and our hearts go out to all those affected," said Gov. Greg Abbott in a statement.

The church said all planned activities have been canceled, although they will be open for prayer and support tonight. He said counselors will be on hand at the church as well.

"We are just trying to work through this," he said, adding everyone is anxious to receive more news.

Staff writer Jacob Beltran contributed to this report.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/at-least-12-dead-in-crash-involving-central-texas-church-group-near-garner-state-park/ar-BBz1Agw?OCID=ansmsnnews11

[corbe]

   put these people in your Prayers tonight, gut punch to this close knit community I share.

[mountaineer]

Heartbreaking!

[Sanguine]

Terrible story. 

[Idiot]

   put these people in your Prayers tonight, gut punch to this close knit community I share.

I saw this on the news tonight.  I am soooooooooo sorry!  May God comfort the injured and the family's of those who perished.  How horrible.......

[TomSea]

This happened in GeronL's neck of the woods, my prayers for all of those affected.

[geronl]

That hits close to home

[Smokin Joe]

Prayers offered!

[Polly Ticks]

Tragic.  Shades of Larry Wayne Mahoney / Carrollton, KY bus crash in the late '80's that killed 27. 

Prayers for the families/friends of those impacted.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Prayers up.

[Idiot]

13 senior adults have died including the driver.  The driver of the truck that was at fault is surviving.

[Sanguine]

13 senior adults have died including the driver.  The driver of the truck that was at fault is surviving.

I read that.  20 year old.  He's going to have to live with it for the rest of his life.

[debrawiest]

How tragic. Praying for all involved.

[don-o]

Witness: Driver in crash admitted texting before collision

https://apnews.com/01f5bc86a2974214b92170677dd61e58?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=APCentralRegion

HOUSTON (AP) — The driver of a pickup truck that collided with a church minibus in rural Texas, killing 13 people, apologized after the crash and acknowledged he had been texting while driving, a witness said Friday.

Jody Kuchler told The Associated Press he was driving behind the truck and had seen it moving erratically prior to the Wednesday collision on a two-lane road about 75 miles west (120 km) of San Antonio, near the town of Concan. Kuchler said the truck had crossed the center line several times while he followed it.

Kuchler said he called the sheriff's offices for both Uvalde and Real counties while he followed the truck and told them "they needed to get him off the road before he hit somebody."

Kuchler said he witnessed the crash and afterward, he checked on both the bus and the truck and was able to speak with the driver, who has been identified by the Texas Department of Public Safety as 20-year-old Jack Dillon Young, of Leakey, Texas.

snip

[mountaineer]

He was texting while driving.  :nometalk:

[Idaho_Cowboy]

He was texting while driving.  :nometalk:

[Polly Ticks]

He was texting while driving.  :nometalk:

Oy.  DUIE  -- driving under the influence of electronics. 

[Applewood]

Young and stupid.  Can't people put their devices away for even a minute?

[Idiot]

Oy.  DUIE  -- driving under the influence of electronics. 

Sadly, Texas is going to have to do something about texting while driving.  I see it all the time...people not looking up and paying attention.  I've been guilty of it on occasion.

[Smokin Joe]

Sadly, Texas is going to have to do something about texting while driving.  I see it all the time...people not looking up and paying attention.  I've been guilty of it on occasion.

I have a flip phone and tried once to text a two word reply to a brief text. Never again. The road was straight, no vehicles but me, but I won't repeat that. It'll wait--and that includes to read them. You want to talk, call, if it isn't 'busy' out there, I'll answer.
Since then, the State of ND has passed laws against 'distracted driving', and almost every idiot maneuver I have seen on the road has been by a driver either texting or talking on the phone.

[mountaineer]

Sadly, Texas is going to have to do something about texting while driving.  I see it all the time...people not looking up and paying attention.  I've been guilty of it on occasion.

It's illegal in my state, as is talking on a phone other than a hands-free device, and every other person on the road still does it. That may explain why we see so many drivers drifting all over the road.

[Mod2]

Merged threads on same topic into the older one.

[Smokin Joe]

It's illegal in my state, as is talking on a phone other than a hands-free device, and every other person on the road still does it. That may explain why we see so many drivers drifting all over the road.

Why I won't text, read texts, and seldom answer the phone unless I can pull off.

I'm too busy dodging the people who are messing with the phone.

Some day "SMARTphone" will be seen as a contradiction...

[Applewood]

It's illegal in my state, as is talking on a phone other than a hands-free device, and every other person on the road still does it. That may explain why we see so many drivers drifting all over the road.

Illegal in Pennsylvania too. Not that it matters.  I see people doing it all the time. 

Read something earlier this week that pedestrian accidents have increased .  Number one cause -- talking or texting on the phone. 

[Sanguine]

My phone reads my texts to me.  I don't have to look at the phone at all. 

[Applewood]

My phone reads my texts to me.  I don't have to look at the phone at all.

For me, listening would still ne a distraction.  Then again, I can't walk and chew gum at the same time.  LOL

[mystery-ak]

Witness: Driver in crash admitted texting before collision
[Associated Press]
JUAN A. LOZANO
Associated PressMarch 31, 2017



HOUSTON (AP) — The driver of a pickup truck that collided with a church minibus in rural Texas, killing 13 people, apologized after the crash and acknowledged he had been texting while driving, a witness said Friday.

Jody Kuchler told The Associated Press he was driving behind the truck and had seen it moving erratically prior to the Wednesday collision on a two-lane road about 75 miles west (120 km) of San Antonio, near the town of Concan. Kuchler said the truck had crossed the center line several times while he followed it.

more
https://www.yahoo.com/news/callers-reported-swerving-pickup-deadly-bus-crash-050524425.html

[bigheadfred]

Maybe edit the headline a bit to reflect the serious carnage and death toll this idiot inflicted. Like this: (kills 13) Otherwise people are so bent on texting here they drive right by this without really noticing. @mystery-ak

[geronl]

Oy.  DUIE  -- driving under the influence of electronics. 

Driving While Stupid (IMO)

[geronl]

I had to find a ride home last night from work.

The guy has 2 small kids there waiting for him (his ex dropped them off), talk about distracted - he left his take-home soup on the table herding them until I mentioned it. Then he spends a lot of time on the phone while driving trying to figure out what happened to his wallet "I just had it". (Yes, I noticed how much he weaved, even drove on some grass at one point.) Oh, did I mention he said his glasses broke?

Eventually we went back to the restaurant and found the wallet. He had left it on  the roof of the car and it fell off in the parking lot.

It was the longest ride home ever.

lol.

[Smokin Joe]

For me, listening would still ne a distraction.  Then again, I can't walk and chew gum at the same time.  LOL

I drove enough old beaters over the years, where the first sign of trouble was a new noise, and listening to the car would save you serious repairs or worse, that I seldom even have the radio on. Before I ever had a tach, I learned to shift based on the pitch of the engine sound.

[Smokin Joe]

I had to find a ride home last night from work.

The guy has 2 small kids there waiting for him (his ex dropped them off), talk about distracted - he left his take-home soup on the table herding them until I mentioned it. Then he spends a lot of time on the phone while driving trying to figure out what happened to his wallet "I just had it". (Yes, I noticed how much he weaved, even drove on some grass at one point.) Oh, did I mention he said his glasses broke?

Eventually we went back to the restaurant and found the wallet. He had left it on  the roof of the car and it fell off in the parking lot.

It was the longest ride home ever.

lol.

Glad you survived.

("Adventure" is adversity in retrospect, after all.)

[bigheadfred]

There is an uptick here in accidents involving texting. A pedestrian got taken out a couple of months back. Vehicular manslaughter charges aren't enough, IMO. Many times it is probation and community service.

I have a co-worker that is addicted to his phone. Texts while he drives. Constantly. The boss hired him because he is a "professional" driver. I won't ride with him. He says I have nothing to worry about because he knows what he is doing. Not like all those other idiots doing it.

[mountaineer]

A few years ago we nearly got t-boned at an intersection by a young woman who appeared to be texting.

[geronl]

There is an uptick here in accidents involving texting. A pedestrian got taken out a couple of months back. Vehicular manslaughter charges aren't enough, IMO. Many times it is probation and community service.

Some people seem to think Grand Theft Auto was a lesson in driving.

[Smokin Joe]

A few years ago we nearly got t-boned at an intersection by a young woman who appeared to be texting.

I don't reach for the horn button like some drivers, so I disabled the anti-lock brakes on all my older Chevrolets (they aren't worth crap on ice, anyway) and now when I hit the brakes hard, the wheels lock and make noise. Nothing like the squeal of tires to get someone's attention. I have made a few sit up and take notice.