An Austin woman has succumbed to injuries from a crash that occurred last month on Highway 71, officials confirmed. Joan M. Cooper, 76, was involved in a collision with a pickup truck on December 17, as per a statement obtained by KXAN. The Austin Police Department (APD) reported that the accident took place at around 7:45 a.m. near the intersection of East Hwy 71 and SH 130.
The incident occurred when Cooper, driving a sedan, abruptly turned left and was hit directly at the driver's side door by the adjacent pickup truck. The reasons behind why Cooper decided to make that ill-fated turn remain unclear at this time. Despite efforts to quickly transport her to a local hospital, Cooper did not manage to survive, ultimately passing away on January 7. APD is still actively investigating the incident and has classified it as the city's 90th fatal crash of last year.
Authorities from the Vehicular Homicide Unit are reaching out to the public for any additional information relating to the crash. CBS Austin released details urging witnesses or anyone with knowledge about the crash to come forward and contact the APD's Vehicular Homicide Unit at 512-974-8111. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online or by calling 512-472-8477.
