Mindy Abrego Injured in Single-Vehicle Accident off Elmira St in San Antonio, TX
UPDATE (April 13, 2022): The driver injured in this crash was later identified as 42-year-old Mindy Abrego.
San Antonio, TX -- March 18, 2022, a woman was critically injured in a single-vehicle accident off Elmira Street in Downtown San Antonio.
Authorities say the incident happened shortly before 1:00 a.m. along East Elmira near McCullough Avenue. Preliminary investigation suggests the woman was driving south on the roadway when she lost control for unknown reasons. The vehicle veered eastward through the road and crashed through the barrier wall, then fell into the southbound lanes of nearby I-35's lower level. Images taken at the scene show the car overturned on its roof.
The driver suffered critical injuries in the crash. After she was cut free from the vehicle she was rushed to a local hospital.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Mindy Abrego Accident off Elmira St in San Antonio
To be clear, I don't have any information about this crash beyond what's relayed in early reports. It would be irresponsible for me or anyone else to jump to conclusions based on just those limited details. However, after 30 years of experience I have learned to recognize certain details as red flags in wrecks like this one. Understanding what that can mean for victims and families is important.
For instance, when folks see a late-night single-vehicle accident like this one many may immediately blame alcohol consumption. Not a word was said about that in preliminary news reports and I'm not making any accusations, but impairment is a well-known cause of similar crashes. Investigators may look into it here if for no other reason than normal procedure, but before anyone considers it a factor clear proof would have to be found.
Just because that's one potential explanation, though, it doesn't mean investigators can take it for granted or ignore other possibilities. What if the victim's vehicle had a tire blowout or a mechanical issue? Might she have been distracted by something? Could she have had a medical episode that incapacitated her? What if there's something wrong with this particular stretch of road due to poor design or a lack of lighting and signage? Could the vehicle have hit some debris or a wet area that affected its traction? Might any other vehicles have been involved but left the scene?
I don't ask those questions to overcomplicate things or suggest I know more than reports say. I only mean that jumping to conclusions isn't going to get folks the help or the answers they deserve. That's why it's best to make sure independent investigators look into serious wrecks like this to be sure the truth is found. The victim deserves the benefit of the doubt in the meantime. If there are further steps to take, that would depend largely on what answers are found during a thorough investigation.
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