Tragedy struck early on the morning of May 11th when a vehicle collided with three pedestrians, leading to the eventual death of Erica Garza, a young Hispanic female born on October 30, 2004. The Austin Police Department reported to the scene at approximately 4:59 a.m., in the 700 block of E 7th St, where they found two male pedestrians with minor injuries, and Garza with serious injuries that unfortunately proved fatal, as she was later pronounced deceased on May 16th.
The vehicle responsible for the incident fled the scene, heading north on the N IH-35 frontage road, prompting an ongoing search by the APD's Vehicular Homicide unit for the driver, in what has become Austin’s 30th fatal crash of 2025; the previous year had seen a parallel number of deaths by this date. Investigations are still underway, and authorities urge anyone with information to step forward—instructions and avenues for anonymous tips can be found on the Austin, Texas, Government website.
This tragic event stands as a stark reminder of the ongoing issues on our roads where the lives hanging in the balance are often those of our community's youth; the loss of Erica Garza, a young life cut short on the tumultuous asphalt we traverse daily, represents not merely a statistic but a heartbreaking reality for the Garza family and the greater Austin community. As details are still emerging from the investigation, the Austin Police Department continues to piece together the moments that led to this fateful encounter.
Amidst the somber reflections on such incidents, the Austin community has been called to action, reminded that it is in the power of those who may bear witness—in times where the course of lives shift abruptly in the dead of night, when steel and speed claim innocence—to make a difference by reaching out and providing much-needed answers to the authorities. We hold onto hope that with the aid of the public, the APD will bring closure to this case and, more importantly, to the grieving family and friends of Erica Garza.
