Tragedy struck on the final Saturday of 2023 when a single-vehicle crash claimed two lives on Research Boulevard's service road in Austin. The Austin Police Department responded to the scene around 11:36 a.m. in the 8400 block, where both the driver and passenger were pronounced deceased, according to the Austin Police Department.
The driver, identified as Omar Vasquez Sanchez, was behind the wheel during the incident that marked Austin's 89th fatal car collision of the year. These premature departures brought the city's fatality total up to 93, a dire statistic compared to 2022's 115 fatal crashes, resulting, in 121 deaths by the same calendar date.
The ongoing investigation by APD's Vehicular Homicide unit seeks to understand the circumstances leading to the deaths of Sanchez and his unnamed passenger. The information about the crash is still preliminary and may be subject to change as more details are uncovered, as per the Austin Police Department.
APD is calling on the community for assistance: Anyone with any information should contact APD's Vehicular Homicide unit at 512-974-8111. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.
