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Several deadly crashes happened this past weekend in Austin
These crashes are prompting new warnings for drivers with the holiday travel rush getting underway this week
AUSTIN, Texas - It has been a deadly weekend on Central Texas roads. According to Austin police, eight people were killed in crashes in the Austin area between Friday night and early Monday morning.
"It certainly was a busy weekend for both fatal and serious injury collisions," said Capt. Darren Noak, public information officer with Austin-Travis County EMS.
Austin police said Roberto Rangel was charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter in connection with a deadly crash early Sunday morning on East Ben White Blvd just west of I-35.
Robert Rangel, 51, was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter.
Police say Rangel pulled out of a parking lot, plowing into a motorcycle ridden by Mark Narvaez and a woman. Both died at the scene.
That stretch of Ben White has been a particular trouble spot lately, with four traffic deaths in just the past week.
"That gives me a lot of anxiety for sure," said Jahaira Alaniz of South Austin. "Everyone going the same route at the same time trying to merge everywhere, it can be very intense."
Early Saturday morning, Jacqueline Rodriguez died in a crash at the intersection of Ben White and South Congress Ave. Her car hit a concrete wall along an on-ramp, but police say it’s unclear why.
Three days before that, on Wednesday, a pedestrian died after being hit by a car in front of St. David’s South Austin Medical Center. The driver of that car did not stop.
"That’s very sad because it could be a family member. It could be a nephew of yours," said Alaniz.
Outside of South Austin, there were several other crashes in our area this past weekend.
Friday night on FM 973 near Circuit of the Americas, police say a green pickup truck failed to yield to another truck while turning left onto FM 812. The driver of the green truck died at the scene.
Late Saturday afternoon, a pickup truck and a car crashed on Parmer Lane near US-290 and SH-130. The drivers, Oscar Perez Elias and Marisela Crayton, both died. Two adults and two children in Perez’s car were all sent to local hospitals.
"Especially this time of year, when you come up as a medic on the ambulance, and you approach that scene, and you realize the people involved, it’s a family, and maybe they’re headed to grandma’s house and the vehicle’s full of presents and everything, so if nothing else it puts a big damper on the holidays," said Noak.
Overall, 2022 has been a near-record year for traffic fatalities. In Austin, there have been 110 deadly crashes and 116 fatalities, essentially tied with 2021.
This time of year, local medics say it’s key to drive sober, undistracted and according to the conditions.
"Icing or rain or slippery roads or low visibility with fog, you’ve got to drive for that particular condition and make the adjustments—slow your speed down, increase your following distance," said Noak.
"I think everyone should be more careful, especially on the holidays. You don't want any accidents. We all want to go home and spend the holidays with family," said Alaniz.