Austin's MoPac Expressway turned into a scene of investigation after a body was discovered early Friday morning in the southbound lanes, close to the Parmer Lane overpass. Austin Police Department spokesperson Matthew Nonweiler told CBS Austin that the first call reporting an object in the road came in at 6:37 a.m. Subsequent calls clarified the object as a human body that had been run over by vehicles.
The gravity of the situation prompted the closure of the southbound lanes of the MoPac Expressway, causing heavy traffic congestion, with backups extending to Shoreline Drive at one point. The investigation into the incident, which is being handled by vehicular homicide detectives, spanned several hours, resulting in significant delays to the morning commute. As reported by FOX 7 Austin, the disruption forced thousands of commuters to seek alternate routes.
One driver who encountered the body stopped and called 911 and is actively cooperating with the police. According to CBS Austin, this driver does not currently face any criminal charges. Dashcam footage from at least one vehicle has been obtained, which investigators hope will shed light on the events leading to the pedestrian's presence on the expressway. The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office has since taken custody of the body, and the lanes have subsequently reopened.
In an eerie twist, a couple driving near the overpass shortly before the incident recounted seeing a person seemingly in distress. "He was just looking down real hard on the bridge, and I was telling my wife, look, look, don’t jump, don’t jump," the husband said in an interview with FOX 7 Austin. "Before I finished saying that I was like, look, he has no shoes, and she didn’t even see it." The identity of the man found remains undisclosed, however, the wife mentioned how the incident would haunt her daily commute, stating, "I commute to that area every day, Monday through Friday, so it's going to be definitely on my mind, looking up, looking around."
Police are investigating the possibility that the man may have jumped from the bridge, and they are urging anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts to seek help. "If it was somebody that took their own life, if you're out there hearing this, if you're out there watching this, and you are in the mindset that you feel like you need to end your life, know that there are resources," Cpl Nonweiler told FOX 7 Austin.
