Early Tuesday morning, a pedestrian was struck and killed on West Highway 71, marking another tragic incident on Austin's roads. According to the City of Austin, the collision occurred in the 7300 block of W. Hwy 71. When officers arrived at the scene at approximately 7:17 a.m., the individual had already succumbed to their injuries. Compounding this tragedy is the fact that the involved driver fled the scene, leaving authorities and community members in search of answers.
The victim's identity has yet to be released pending notification of next of kin, as investigations into the fatal incident continue. In a grim tally, this event represents the city's 63rd fatal crash this year alone, resulting in a total of 68 fatalities—a stark figure when compared to the 65 fatal crashes that had occurred by this time last year, as per the City of Austin.
Citizens with any knowledge regarding the crash are encouraged to come forward. The Austin Police Department's Vehicular Homicide unit is actively seeking tips at 512-974-8111. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program.
