1 dead after box truck collides with 5 stopped vehicles in Southwest Austin

AUSTIN, Texas - A 52-year-old woman has died following a six-vehicle collision in Southwest Austin. 

Austin Police Department says officers responded to the collision in the 8600 block of Highway 71 eastbound around 5:03 a.m. on August 22. 

A box truck driver was approaching the Covered Bridge and Hwy 71 intersection traveling eastbound when he failed to maintain an assured clear distance from five vehicles stopped at a red light. The box truck hit all five vehicles.

Shala Morgan, 52, was one of the drivers of the vehicles struck. Morgan died at the scene. 

The remaining drivers stay at the scene and are cooperating with the investigation, police say. The investigation is still underway.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Highway Investigation Tip Line at 512-974-8111, utilize the Crime Stoppers tip line at 512-472-8477 (TIPS), or the Crime Stoppers app.

This crash is being investigated as Austin’s 66th fatal crash of 2022, resulting in 67 fatalities for the year. On the date of this crash in 2021, there were 74 fatal crashes resulting in 80 fatalities.