Witness To Deadly Creek Makes His Way Down To Accident Scene, Helps Those Involved
By: Gina Benitez
Updated: May 18, 2012
One woman is dead and four others critically injured after a wreck off I-20 just west of 351.
The family, who were from the Metroplex, were on their way to Lubbock to a college graduation ceremony.
"He went on the grass. He went straight. He was going about 75 miles an hour, I saw him hit," says Francisco Orozco, a bystander and witness to the wreck.
The call came in around ten a.m.
Orozco says, "I just ran down there. After I pulled over I ran down there and got the baby out."
A vehicle airborne, hitting a culvert, then making its final descent into this creek bed.
"There is one known fatality at this time. She was pronounced dead at the scene. She's a 54-year-old female," says Tyson Kropp, an officer with the Abilene Police Department.
Authorities say preliminary findings indicate that a car failed to yield when entering I-20, causing one car to hit another. That impact sent the victims' vehicle into the median.
Once things settled, one party was missing --- the drivers who authorities say caused the wreck.
Kropp says, "They left the scene. They have been located. They're being cooperative."
One woman died and four adults were taken away with critical injuries. One toddler was also a passenger.
"He was wrapped up in the seatbelt. And once I got him out, everyone started coming," says Orozco.
A difficult road ahead for the family and those involved.
Kropp says, "Right now, the priority is to care for the family of the deceased. Any of the survivors, the victims from the crash are in two separate hospitals here in town."
The family, who were from the Metroplex, were on their way to Lubbock to a college graduation ceremony.
"He went on the grass. He went straight. He was going about 75 miles an hour, I saw him hit," says Francisco Orozco, a bystander and witness to the wreck.
The call came in around ten a.m.
Orozco says, "I just ran down there. After I pulled over I ran down there and got the baby out."
A vehicle airborne, hitting a culvert, then making its final descent into this creek bed.
"There is one known fatality at this time. She was pronounced dead at the scene. She's a 54-year-old female," says Tyson Kropp, an officer with the Abilene Police Department.
Authorities say preliminary findings indicate that a car failed to yield when entering I-20, causing one car to hit another. That impact sent the victims' vehicle into the median.
Once things settled, one party was missing --- the drivers who authorities say caused the wreck.
Kropp says, "They left the scene. They have been located. They're being cooperative."
One woman died and four adults were taken away with critical injuries. One toddler was also a passenger.
"He was wrapped up in the seatbelt. And once I got him out, everyone started coming," says Orozco.
A difficult road ahead for the family and those involved.
Kropp says, "Right now, the priority is to care for the family of the deceased. Any of the survivors, the victims from the crash are in two separate hospitals here in town."
