What started as a Thanksgiving-night traffic stop on I-35 ended in a violent rollover crash, a critically injured passenger, and a Live Oak woman now facing criminal charges.
The wreck happened near the O'Connor Road exit on northbound Interstate 35, briefly backing up holiday traffic as emergency crews rushed to the overturned vehicle.
According to a Live Oak Police Department news release reported by KENS5, the incident began around 8:30 p.m. when an officer spotted a vehicle operating recklessly and at a high rate of speed in the 12800 block of Interstate 35 North. The officer tried to pull the driver over, and the vehicle initially slowed before the driver allegedly hit the gas and took off. Dispatchers notified the San Antonio Police Department, and the Live Oak officer did not continue the pursuit, according to the release.
Crash and Rescue
The fleeing vehicle exited the interstate at O'Connor Road and was later found upside down on its roof. Firefighters had to extricate a passenger from the wreckage, and that person was rushed to Brooke Army Medical Center in critical condition, the San Antonio Express-News reports.
The driver managed to crawl out of the overturned vehicle and was also taken to BAMC for treatment, then released from the hospital. Officers at the scene reported smelling a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on the driver, according to the same report.
Charges and Investigation
Police say an arrest warrant was issued after the crash, and the driver was taken into custody on a charge of evading arrest in a motor vehicle, with additional charges possible as investigators sort through the case, according to KENS5. Authorities have not publicly identified the woman.
How the Law Treats Evading in a Vehicle
Under Texas law, evading arrest while using a vehicle can be bumped up from a misdemeanor to a state-jail or felony offense when a vehicle is used to flee or when someone suffers serious bodily injury as a direct result, per the Texas Penal Code. Prosecutors will look at factors such as prior convictions, the seriousness of the injuries and any evidence of intoxication when deciding how to charge the case.
Officials did not release the driver's name and reiterated that the investigation remains active, the San Antonio Express-News reports. The driver is currently in custody as the case moves through the system.
