A late-night drive on San Antonio’s southside ended in tragedy Saturday when a car careened off Padre Drive and slammed into a light pole and a tree, killing the driver, according to police. Emergency crews were called to the 6300 block of Padre Drive at around 11:02 p.m., where they found the vehicle after the collisions. The driver was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries and was later pronounced dead. Police said no one else was in the car or hurt in the crash.
According to News 4 San Antonio, the San Antonio Police Department reported the vehicle was headed northbound when it “veered off the roadway for unknown reasons,” first striking a light pole and then a tree. The outlet reported that responders transported the driver with serious injuries and that he later died at the hospital. News 4 also noted officers confirmed no other people were involved or injured in the wreck.
Padre Drive Has Seen Deadly Crashes Before
The same stretch of Padre Drive has been the scene of deadly crashes in recent years. In 2019, a wreck in the 6500 block killed a 15-year-old passenger, according to KSAT, which reported that investigators said the 14-year-old driver admitted to drinking alcohol and using marijuana before that crash. That earlier fatality drew intense local attention and still comes up in conversations about traffic safety on the southside.
What Officials Have Released
In its initial report, News 4 San Antonio said authorities had not yet released the driver’s identity and quoted SAPD as saying the car “veered off the roadway for unknown reasons.” The station added that police confirmed there were no other people involved or injured. As of that report, investigators had not provided any additional details about what might have led up to the crash.
