Rosa Vasquez Killed in 18-Wheeler Accident at Loop 1604 and FM 143 in Bexar County, TX
UPDATE (January 26, 2022): Reports have identified the victim of this accident as 79-year-old Rosa Vasquez.
Bexar County, TX -- January 13, 2022, one person was killed in a collision with a tractor-trailer along West Loop 1604 South in far west Bexar County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 1:15 p.m. on Loop 1604 at Farm to Market 143, near JBSA-Lackland. Preliminary investigation suggests a Peterbilt semi-truck with an attached dump trailer was traveling north on the Loop when a southbound Lexus passenger vehicle turned left at FM 143 and entered its path. The big rig broadsided the Lexus and pinned it to a nearby light pole.
The Lexus driver was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
The crash remains under investigation. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Rosa Vasquez Accident on Loop 1604 in Bexar County, TX
Reports suggest the victim of this accident failed to yield before turning. It's not yet clear why they might have entered the path of the approaching truck, but before anyone suggests they must be to blame it's important to account for other possible explanations.
For instance: Could the Lexus have had some kind of mechanical or brake problem that kept the driver from stopping? Might something have obstructed their view of the approaching truck? Were there any other vehicles around at the time? Was signage covered, blocked, or missing at the intersection? Could bad weather or road conditions have been a factor? Does that area have a history of similar crashes? Is the intersection designed poorly? Were both drivers paying full attention to their surroundings? If not, why not? Ignoring right-of-way for a moment, could the truck driver have done anything differently to avoid the collision or reduce its damage?
I'm not trying to overcomplicate this matter or argue with police findings. I just want to make sure all the variables are addressed as they should be in any accident. Without due consideration of all possibilities no one can be certain why things happened the way they did. Unusual elements contribute to accidents all the time but too often they slip through the cracks during a "by the book" investigation. Many crashes aren't as simple as they might appear and subtle-but-crucial details are often missed or misunderstood. The victim's loved ones deserve to know every effort was made to find the whole truth--will police be as thorough as is needed to get it?
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