A 71-year-old San Antonio man was struck and killed early Tuesday while walking in the southbound lanes of Interstate 37 in Live Oak County, turning a quiet pre-dawn stretch of highway into a fatal scene that shut down traffic for hours.
Authorities identified the man as Reyes Moreno. Investigators say he had stopped his vehicle about a mile north on I-37 before he ended up on foot in the southbound lanes. Around 5:10 a.m., he was hit, thrown into a grassy median and pronounced dead at the scene. Several other vehicles later crashed into Moreno’s stopped car, and the interstate was closed for multiple hours while troopers worked the wreckage.
Crash Details and Response
According to KSAT, a 38-year-old man driving an SUV did not see Moreno in the roadway before hitting him. The SUV driver stopped to help at the scene and was later taken to a hospital in Beeville for treatment.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation, KSAT reported. Troopers described the collision as forceful enough to propel Moreno into the median. As of the outlet’s report, the crash remained under investigation.
Pedestrian Safety on Texas Highways
Pedestrian deaths remain a stubborn problem across Texas. The Texas Department of Transportation reported 768 pedestrian fatalities in 2024, with rural crashes accounting for roughly half of the state’s traffic deaths.
Those numbers highlight how dangerous high-speed rural interstates like I-37 can be, especially in the dim light of early morning. Limited shoulders, fast-moving traffic and low visibility at dawn all combine to raise the stakes for anyone on foot. Transportation experts often point to engineering fixes, such as improved shoulders, better lighting and designated pullouts, as ways to cut down on roadside dangers.
Investigation Ongoing
DPS officials told KSAT that troopers are still working to piece together what led up to the collision. The outlet reported that the SUV driver stopped to render aid, was treated at a Beeville hospital, and that authorities had not announced any charges at the time of its story.
Troopers have not released further details about Moreno’s actions before he was struck, and say the investigation remains active.
