Maddison Lassetter Killed in Auto-Pedestrian Accident on I-35 in Waco, TX
Waco, TX -- May 7, 2022, 24-year-old Maddison Lassetter was struck and killed by a McLennan County Sheriff’s Office vehicle on Interstate 35 in Waco.
According to reports the incident happened around 1:50 a.m. on southbound I-35. Lassetter was reportedly walking south in the outside lane of the highway when an MCSO deputy in a marked Chevrolet Tahoe patrol vehicle, on his way to a call in Lorena, struck her as he drove through.
Despite the deputy's life-saving efforts, Lassetter succumbed her injuries at the scene.
The investigation continues. No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Maddison Lassetter Accident on I-35 in Waco
There isn't much information about how this terrible incident happened, though some folks are quick to write off incidents where pedestrians are hit on the interstate. The assumption tends to be that someone on foot in the highway is more or less automatically in the wrong.
It's true that pedestrian activity on a busy road (especially at night) is risky, but fault isn't automatic like that. Rather than dismissing the whole thing because of where it took place it's important to consider the greater context of the accident. How did it happen, and could anything out of the ordinary have contributed to it?
For instance, are there any lights in that area at night? How visible was the victim? Was she wearing anything light-colored or reflective? Were the patrol car's headlights on? Was the deputy's full attention on the road? If not, why not? Were other drivers able to successfully avoid the pedestrian? Where did she come from before walking on the roadway that night? Is it possible she was intoxicated as police seem to suspect? If so, how did she get that way? Could anything else have been done to avoid the collision or reduce its damage?
I don't ask those questions to overcomplicate things or point fingers. I just don't think anyone can safely assume there's nothing else to know here. Every available answer is important when trying to learn how someone lost their life. Her loved ones deserve to know no stone was left unturned when trying to make sense of a tragic event.
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