An accident Monday afternoon left a 4-yearold child dead and a mother and two more of her children hospitalized after her vehicle inexplicably flipped along eastbound Interstate 10 on the north side of Boerne.
While the incident remains under investigation, information from the Boerne Police Department indicates the family from Foley, Alabama, was traveling home when the driver lost control of the vehicle and overcorrected, causing the SUV to flip.
During the accident, the driver’s three children – an infant, a 2-year-old and a 4-yearold – were ejected from the vehicle. A press release from BPD states the investigation into the accident continues to show the children were not restrained in their child safety seats nor were the seats “properly secured to the frame of the SUV.”
According to the BPD press release, the 4-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene by Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Michelle Van Stavern. The two other children and their mother were transported to University Hospital by ambulance. The surviving children and their mother are expected to be released soon and continue to recover, according to information from BPD.
The name of the driver has not been released.
A witness on the interstate at the time off the crash provided his own account. The witness said there was no indication the vehicle swerved or corrected, saying the SUV lifted from the back end suddenly and flipped forward – nose to tail – several times before rolling on its side.
When asked whether there seemed to be any mechanical issues with the vehicle or whether this recount could be corroborated, the Boerne Police Department said the investigation continues to show the driver wasn’t in control of the vehicle. No additional explanation was given.
“The investigation continues to show that the driver was not in control of the vehicle prior to overcorrecting, which caused the vehicle to roll multiple times,” information from the BPD stated.
The witness, who was traveling behind the SUV at the time of the incident, said it was like there was an “explosion” from the back end of the SUV as it suddenly lifted off the ground.
The witness said after the SUV stopped rolling, coming to rest on its wheels off the eastbound lanes in the grass, the mother almost immediately climbed out the driver’s side window and began looking for her children. Several motorists stopped to offer assistance before authorities arrived.
“I hate to say this,” the witness told The Star. “I thought coming down the road from the beginning – I thought this is unsurvivable. The g-forces had to be so incredible. I can’t believe the mother jumped out.”
A press release from BPD noted the department offers a free car seat inspection. Anyone interested may call 830-249-8645 to schedule an appointment with an officer who is certified as a child passenger safety (CPS) technician.
This is the second fatal accident reported in Boerne this year. Jeremy McGee was struck and killed by a passing vehicle in the same general area of the interstate less than a week before.
“In all instances, everyone needs to be aware of their surroundings, especially when driving or on a road or highway,” information from BPD stated. “Because I-10 is a TxDOT maintained roadway, any comment on safety measures would need to come from them.”
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